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AITHOR: 


AESCHiNES 


TITLE: 


THE  TWO  ORATIONS  ON 
THE  CROWN... 

Ρ  LA  CE : 

PHILADELPHIA 

JLJ  /Ά    1     JLj    φ 

1881 


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The  two  Orations  on  the  Crown. 


^SCHINES 


AND 


DEMOSTHENES. 


A   ΝΕΛν   TRANSLATION. 


BY 


GEORGE    W.    BIDDLE. 


V 


PHILADELPHIA: 


J.   B.   LIPPIKCOTT   &  CO. 

1881. 


ID 


Copyright,  1881,  by  J.  B.  Ljppincott  &  Co. 


c^i 


5> 


.fN 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Another  translation  of  the  Orations  on  the 
Crown  is  here  presented.  Many  English  trans- 
lations already  exist,  but  an  attempt  is  now  made 
to  unite  sufficient  literal  adherence  to  the  oridnal 
with  what  may  be  called  the  forensic  tone  of  the 
occasion. 

This  version  is  not  incumbered  with  notes,  nor 
prefaced  with  an  elaborate  introduction.  Atten- 
tion is  simply  called  to  the  political  condition  of 
Greece,  and  to  the  principal  circumstances  of  the 
trial,  and  a  slight  comparison  of  the  two  orations 
is  made.  The  reader  who  desires  more  will  find 
all  needed  information  in  the  introduction  to  Ken- 
nedy's translation  of  the  Oration  of  Demosthenes, 
and  in  the  editions  of  the  Greek  text  of  that 
oration  of  T.  K.  Arnold  and  Arthur  Holmes. 


Ill 


3911)6 


*•««■# 


> 


INTRODUCTION. 


Fkom  the  time  that  Demosthenes  first  entered 
public  life  he  regarded  Philip  with  distrust.  He 
recognized  his  Avonderful  abilities,  and  foresaw  that 
unless  his  policy  was  counteracted,  the  Grecian 
States  would  one  by  one  be  swallowed  up  by  him, 
and  that  instead  of  free,  autonomous,  independent 
States,  they  would  all  become  members  of  a  great 
empire  under  the  Macedonian  hegemony.  Athens, 
which  from  the  battle  of  Salamis  had  been  the 
leader  of  Greece,  and  which  though  now  shorn  of 
much  of  her  ancient  power  and  authority  was  still 
foremost  among  the  leading  States,  would  be  com- 
2)elled  to  descend  from  her  pre-eminence  as  guar- 
dian of  the  Hellenic  liberties,  and  subside  into  a 
subordinate  j)osition.  His  patriotism  shrank  from 
such  a  view,  and  he  may  be  said  to  have  been  for 
many  years  the  leader  of  the  anti-Macedonian 
party,  ever  on  the  alert  to  watch,  proclaim,  and 
oppose  the  designs  of  Philip,  and  to  stir  up  the 


V 


ii 


VI 


INTRODUCTION. 


Athenians  to  take  active  measures  against  him. 
Probably  a  majority  of  tlie  Athenians  were  on  his 
side;  but  the  people  were  unwilling  to  undergo 
the  labors  and  to  submit  to  the  sacrifices  which 
the  duty  of  opposing  Philip's  ambitious  views  de- 
manded. They  were  moreover  sustained  in  their 
feelings  of  apathy  by  a  considerable  number  of 
respectable  leaders.  Among  these  the  most  promi- 
nent were  the  virtuous  Phocion,  and  ^schines. 
The  former  honestly  believed  his  fellow -citizens 
were  incapable  of  resisting  the  Macedonian  ])ower; 
the  latter  had  perhaps  become  a  member  of  the 
pro-Macedonian  party  from  interested  motives. 
The  battle  of  Chaeronea,  which  took  place  in 
August  of  the  year  338  B.C.,  and  which  was  prob- 
ably precipitated  by  Demosthenes,  put  an  end  for- 
ever to  all  hopes  of  successfully  resisting  Philip. 

After  this  fatal  battle  Athens  took  hastily  some 
measures  of  defence,  which  the  peace,  concluded  a 
few  days  later,  made  unnecessary.  One  of  these 
measures,  however,  was  not  abandoned,  namely, 
the  repair  of  the  walls  of  Athens  and  of  Pirseus, 
a  considerable  Avork,  which  involved  an  expendi- 
ture of  one  hundred  talents,  or  about  $120,000 
of  our  money. 

This  w^as  resolved  upon  early  in  the  year  337, 


IXTRODUCTION. 


vu 


i 


upon  the  motion  of  Demosthenes,  and  a  commis- 
sion of  ten  citizens,  one  drawn  from  each  tribe, 
was  appointed  in  the  summer  of  the  same  year  to 
carry  the  resolution  into  effect.  Demosthenes, 
representing  the  tribe  Pandion,  was  on  this  com- 
mission, and  took  charge  of  a  section  of  the  work 
forming  about  a  tenth  of  the  whole. 

He  added  out  of  his  own  funds  the  sum  of  three 
talents  to  the  amount  drawn  from  the  public  treas- 
ury for  this  service,  and  moreover  contributed  lib- 
erally from  his  private  resources  to  the  Theoric 
Fund  for  the  maintenance  of  public  spectacles,  of 
which  he  was  administrator. 

The  work  Avas  completed  and  the  commission 
executed  in  the  year  following,  336.  Ctesiphon,  a 
member  of  the  Council  of  Five  Hundred,  and  a 
friend  of  Demosthenes,  then  introduced  a  decree 
that  a  crown  of  gold  should  be  publicly  bestowed 
upon  him*  in  the  theatre,  at  the  celebration  of  the 
great  Dionysiac  festivals,  the  usual  reward  of  pub- 
lic services  and  functions  honorably  performed. 
It  was  in  the  form  of  similar  decrees,  and  provided 
that  proclamation  should  be  made  by  the  herald 
that  Demosthenes  was  crowned  by  the  Athenian 
people  for  the  virtue  and  good-will  always  shewn 
by  him  both  in  speech  and  action  in  his  country's 


» 


Vlll 


INTRODUCTION. 


behalf.  Brief  and  simple  as  tins  formula  was,  it 
appeared  to  imi)ly,  under  the  eircumstances,  an 
approval  of  Demosthenes's  whole  poHtical  course, 
and  to  be  a  protest  against  the  Macedonian  he- 
gemony. 

AVhen,  therefore,  this  decree,  after  its  passage 
by  the  Five  Hundred,  was  presented  to  the  As- 
sembly for  concurrence,  it  was  opjxised  by  ^Es- 
chines  on  the  ground  of  illegality  both  in  form 
and  substance,  and  a  prosecution  was  in  conse- 
quence instituted  against  Ctesiphon,  styled  the 
Graphe  Paranomon.  The  formal  objections  were 
that  no  such  decree  could  be  passed  while  the  ac- 
counts of  a  public  officer  remained  unsettled,  and 
as  Demosthenes  had  not  yet  had  his  accounts 
audited  as  a  member  of  the  AVall  Conunission 
and  as  Administrator  of  the  Theoric  Fund,  the 
proposed  coronation  was  illegal.  Furthermore, 
the  coronation  as  i)iOposed  could  not  be  made  in 
the  theatre  at  all,  but  must  be  done  at  the  Pnyx 
during  the  holding  of  an  Assembly.  The  ob- 
jection of  substance  struck  at  the  orator's  whole 
political  life.  It  was  contended  that  as  nothing 
untrue  could  be  introduced  into  a  public  record, 
and  as  it  was  false  that  Demosthenes  had  always 
by  speech  and  action  done  \ά\?ίί  Avas  best  for  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


IX 


.1 


1/ 


i 


interests  of  the  people,  the  decree  was  illegal  and 
void,  and  its  propounder  guilty. 

This  occurred  in  the  year  336,  a  few  days  before 
Philip's  death,  but  the  trial  remained  suspended 
for  more  than  six  years,  and  was  not  taken  up 
until  the  year  330.  The  cause  of  the  delay  has 
not  been  explained.  Perhaps  the  prosecutor 
waited  for  the  most  favorable  time  to  bring  the 
trial  on,  and  Ctesiphon  and  his  friends  might 
naturally  not  be  averse  to  delay. 

Be  the  reason  what  it  might,  nothing  was  done 
until  after  the  battles  of  Issus  and  Arbela,  Avhen 
Alexander,  having  conquered  the  Persians,  was 
preparing  to  advance  to  the  Indus.  The  moment 
was  judged  favorable,  and  the  cause  began  before 
a  jury  of  five  hundred  dicasts,  or  jurors. 

iEschines,  on  behalf  of  the  prosecution,  spoke 
first,  pronouncing  the  discourse  which  still  sur- 
vives. He  presented  the  legal  points  with  great 
force  and  ability,  and  then  launched  into  a  violent 
personal  and  political  attack  upon  his  rival.  The 
Λνΐιοΐβ  public  career  of  Demosthenes  was  harshly 
examined,  and  it  was  endeavored  to  be  shewn  that 
his  policy  had  from  the  first  been  unfortunate  for 
the  interests  of  Athens,  until  it  culminated  in  the 
iatal  battle  of  Chseronea.     On  the  other  hand  the 


χ  INTRODUCTION. 

moderation  of  both  Philip  and  Alexander  was 
praised;  and  the  speaker  claimed  merit  for  his 
intimacy  and  friendship  with  them. 

The  most  bitter  personal  assault  was  also  made 
upon  Demosthenes,  his  parentage  and  his  private 
life  and  habits  being  grossly  slandered,  and  cow- 
ardice attributed  to  him  on  the  day  on  which 
Athens  had  need  of  the  valor  of  all  her  sons. 
^Eschines  even  reproached  his  adversary  with  his 
ill-fortune,  and  asserted  that  nothing  ever  con- 
trived bv  him  had  succeeded,  since  the  Gods  them- 
selves  were  against  him. 

Ctesiphon  defended  himself  in  a  few^  words,  and 
then  Demosthenes  arose  and  pronounced  wliat  by 
universal  acclaim  is  regarded  as  the  most  ])erfect 

of  orations. 

He  began  by  demanding  of  his  judges  the  right 
to  arrange  and  present  his  arguments  in  the  order 
which  he  deemed  most  convenient,  and  after  a 
solemn  invocation  to  his  country's  Gods  to  inspire 
his  hearers  to  listen  to  him  with  the  same  benevo- 
lence they  had  ever  shewn  him,  he  gave  a  rapid 
but  masterly  sketch  of  the  condition  of  Athens  at 
the  time  peace  was  concluded  in  the  year  347, 
proving  that  the  venality  of  iEschines  and  his  fel- 
lows had  helped  Philip  in  his  attempt  to  get  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


XI 


i\ 


control  of  Greece.  He  next  touched  briefly  but 
emphatically  the  technical  points  of  the  cause; 
and  after  replying  with  great  severity  to  the  per- 
sonal assaults  made  upon  him,  contrasting  the  pri- 
vate life  and  fortune  of  iEschines  with  his  own, 
he  finally  passed  in  review  before  the  jury  his 
whole  political  life.  His  policy  it  is  true  had  not 
succeeded,  Athens  had  succumbed  and  the  Mace- 
donian was  triumphant.  But  had  the  City  com- 
mitted a  mistake  in  striving  to  repress  Philip's 
ambitious  efforts,  and  to  preserve  her  leadership  in 
Greece  ?  As  he  warmed  up  he  even  asserted  that 
had  the  result  been  foreknown  to  all,  Athens  must 
still  have  acted  as  she  had,  having  due  regard  for 
herself,  her  ancestors,  and  posterity.  The  issue 
had  been  decided  against  her,  but  her  glories 
thougli  dimmed  were  still  preserved. 

The  trial  was  one  of  the  greatest  ever  known. 
It  was  in  reality  the  conflict  betw^een  the  advocates 
of  independence  on  the  one  hand  and  the  uphold- 
ers of  submission  on  the  other.  All  Greece  was 
present  and  pressed  round  the  platform  from  which 
the  orators  declaimed.  The  result  was  creditable 
to  the  sense  of  justice  of  the  Athenians,  and  shed 
a  dying  ray  of  light  upon  the  City  which  dared, 
in  spite  of  the  insolence  of  power,  to  give  a  verdict 


Xll 


INTRODUCTION. 


in  accordance  with  truth  and  honor.  Ctesiphon 
was  acquitted  by  an  immense  majority,  ^^schines 
not  obtaining  a  fifth  i)art  of  the  votes,  which  was 
necessary  to  protect  him  from  fine.  lie  went  into 
vohnitary  exile,  and  it  is  said  his  rival  aided  him 
from  his  own  purse  when  he  left  the  City. 

Impaitial   criticism  will,  it  is  thought,  regard 
Demosthenes  as  single-minded,  pure,  and  patriotic 
in  the  course  which  he  advocated.     And  it  may 
be  asserted  that  this  course  was  by  no  means  the 
unwise  one  which  Phocion  believed  it  to  be,  and 
which  ^scliines  asserted  it  w^as.     Had  the  Athe- 
nians had  a  general  such  as  Epaminondas,  or  had 
Phocion  himself  commanded  at  Chseronea,  the  re- 
sult w  ould  probably  have  been  different,  the  power 
of  Philip  might  have  been  broken,  and  the  de- 
cline of  Athens  for  a  long  time  stayed.     We  need 
not  however  speculate  further  as  to  this,     \\liat 
we  are  concerned  with  here  is  the  political  char- 
acter  of   the   great   orator,   and    the   manner   of 
his  defence  of  himself.     Mr.  Orote*  believes  that 
Demosthenes  was  incorrupt,  and  not  at  all  vision- 
ary or   unpractical    in    his   jiolitical   views.     His 
conduct  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  is  cer- 
tainly, >vhen  fairly  considered,  in  harmony  with 

*  Grote's  Greece,  vol.  xii.  ch.  xcv.,  Part  II. 


INTKODUCTION. 


XUl 


all  his  previous  course,  and  it  is  evident  those  who 
knew  him  best  regarded  him  as  a  sincere  patriot. 

That  he  deserved  the  civic  triumph  which  he 
achieved  in  his  contest  with  ^schines,  no  one  who 
studies  the  tw^o  orations  will  fairly  doubt ;  and  it 
may  not  be  out  of  place  to  present  here  some  views 
upon  their  comparative  merits. 

Ingenuity,  ability,  and  vigor  of  treatment,  es- 
pecially of  the  teclinical  points  of  the  prosecution, 
must  be  accorded  to  ^i^schines.  He  even  rises  at 
times  to  a  high  and  sustained  tone  of  rhetorical 
power.  The  description  of  the  ideal  patriot,  the 
contrast  between  the  treatment  by  the  republic  in 
the  olden  time  of  its  public  men  with  that  of  his 
own  day,  the  paucity  of  public  honors  then  be- 
stowed with  their  present  profusion,  and  the  effect 
of  each  course  upon  the  public  service,  the  simple 
grandeur  of  the  ancient  worthies,  the  sordid  huck- 
stering for  honoi-s  by  the  modern  statesmen,  and 
the  peroration  in  which  Solon  and  Aristides  are 
heard  to  utter  their  mournful  protests  against  the 
prostitution  of  the  State's  honors  to  unworthy 
men, — all  these  passages  justify  very  high  com- 
mendation, and  must  excite  our  admiration  for  the 
talents  of  the  man  who  seems  even  in  advance  to 
feel  the  pressure  of  the  cause  he  is  sustaining. 


XIV 


INTRODUCTIOX. 


INTRODUCTION. 


XV 


But  spleiulicl  as  these  and  other  parts  of  the  ora- 
tion of  ^Eschines  are,  they  are  as  nothing  along- 
side of  the  perfection  of  his  great  rivaFs  reply. 
In  atteni])ting  a  comparison  between  them  we  are 
struck  iii-st  of  all  with  this.  There  is  a  constraint 
and  artificiality  with  ^schines  after  he  quits  the 
legal  points  of  the  prosecution.  W^hile  he  divides 
the  public  life  of  his  rival  into  four  i)arts  and 
pours  out  bitter  invective  upon  him  as  to  each, 
there  is  a  want  of  clearness  and  of  continuity  in 
his  treatment  of  the  facts.  You  feel,  more  than 
once,  that  accusations  are  made  on  forced  and  im- 
probable grounds,  and  that  they  may  be,  as  they 
seem  to  be,  the  results  of  private  enmity  and  per- 
sonal hostility.  Sometimes  the  attack  is  for  a 
matter  which  when  fairly  looked  at  should  be  the 
subject  of  eulogy  instead  of  dispraise,  as  the  con- 
duct of  Demosthenes  upon  hearing  the  news  of 
Philip's  assassination.  He  is  really  the  patriot 
subduing  or  veiling  his  ])rivate  sorrow^,  upon  the 
happening  of  an  event  which  he  believed  gave 
promise  of  relief  to  his  oppressed  country,  and  not 
the  hard-hearted  man  callous  to  all  the  parent's 
feelings.  Again,  many  of  the  most  rhetorical  por- 
tions of  this  speech  have  the  appearance  of  being 
worked  up  and  introduced  for  effect,  instead  of 


1^ 


flowing  freely  from  the  main  current  of  the  dis- 
course. There  is  visible  more  of  the  display  of 
the  rhetorician  than  the  outburst  of  the  earnest 
speaker,  whose  words  are  the  impassioned  utter- 
ances of  one  who  is  compelled  to  give  vent  to 
his  pent-up  feelings.  With  Demosthenes  all  is 
unforced,  well  arranged,  faultless  in  method, 
and,  if  we  except  the  personalities  indulged  in, 
faultless  in  manner.  The  fine  description  of 
Pliilip's  attempt  to  obtain  the  leadership  of  Greece 
in  s[)ite  of  the  injuries  which  Fortune  had  in- 
flicted upon  him  follows  naturally  from  the  state- 
ment of  the  duty  of  Athens  and  of  Demosthenes 
as  its  counsellor  to  strive  to  maintain  the  high  place 
in  Grecian  affairs  which  the  City  had  hitherto  en- 
joyed. The  picture  of  the  traitors  themselves  be- 
trayed and  thrown  aside  after  being  used,  seems 
to  be  an  essential  part  of  the  historical  narrative 
wliich  is  being  given  of  the  events  under  consider- 
ation. The  matchless  sublimity  of  the  invocation 
of  the  spirits  of  the  men  who  had  faced  death  at 
Marathon  and  Platiea,  who  had  fought  at  Salamis 
and  Artemisium,  is  necessary  to  the  orator's  ar- 
gument that  his  country  had  not  failed  in  duty 
but  had  simply  suffered  from  the  injustice  of 
Fortune,  and  serves  to  point  the   political  truth 


'•■4" 


XVI 


IXTRODUCTIOX. 


Demosthenes  had  been  insisting  upon  when  he  as- 
serted that  the  City  must  have  undertaken  what  she 
had,  having  due  consideration  of  her  real  phice  in 
Greece.  Everything  is  harmonious,  easy,  and  con- 
sistent ;  and  we  feel  that  without  those  magnificent 
illustrations  the  lessons  which  are  being  expounded 
would  have  fallen  short  of  their  full  effect,  and 
would  have  failed  to  reach  the  comi)rehension  of 
many  who  were  carried  away  by  the  grandeur  of 
the  sentiments  when  thus  presented. 

That  Demosthenes  was  master  of  every  rhe- 
torical resource,  although  abstemious  in  the  use  of 
ornament,  is  also  verv  manifest.  He  never  used  it 
for  its  own  sake  it  is  true,  but  where  the  picture 
could  be  more  completely  set  oif  by  the  accessories 
of  adornment  they  were  adopted.  What  more 
dramatic  description  of  the  consternation  and  pa- 
ralysis which  overtake  a  State  when  the  unexpected 
tidings  of  disaster  fall  ui)on  it,  than  the  account  of 
the  capture  of  Elatea  and  its  effect  upon  Athens! 
How  truly  pathetic  his  account  of  his  own  efforts 
when  contrasted  with  the  course  of  other  orators 
who  reserved  for  themselves  some  means  of  re- 
covery in  case  of  ultimate  disaster!  The  nppar- 
ent  egotism  disappears  in  your  full  pei-suasion,  with 
Demosthenes  himself,  that  he  was  straining  every 


I 


Lli  f 


INTRODUCTION. 


XVU 


nerve  to  assist  his  country  in  her  hour  of  peril. 
How  inexpressibly  touching,  in  the  closing  para- 
graphs of  this  great  harangue,  is  his  account  of 
himself  in  the .  time  of  his  country's  adversity, 
when  poor  and  broken  he  Avas  still  her  steadfast 
friend !  How  awful  the  final  imprecation  upon 
the  concealed  enemies  of  the  City  who  were  fawn- 
ing upon  the  Stranger,  whilst  they  were  belittling 
Athens ! 

It  is  to  be  remarked  that  ^'Eschines  oftentimes 
anticipates  what  his  opponent  was  going  to  say, 
and  endeavors  to  meet  and  answer  it.  Whether 
this  is  only  the  result  of  the  final  retouching  of 
hio  si^eech  for  publication  after  both  had  been  de- 
livered, or  whether  the  heads  of  each  oration  had 
been  nuitually  exchanged  beforehand,  or  carried 
from  one  to  the  other  by  their  respective  partisans, 
is  not  known.  But  in  some  instances  Demosthe- 
nes makes  no  reference  to  matters  which  his  rival 
speaks  of  in  advance  as  being  in  the  intended  line 
of  his  reply.  The  reader  by  having  the  tw^o  ol'a- 
tions  side  by  side  can  the  better  make  his  own 
comparisons  and  draw  his  own  conclusions. 

The  authenticity  of  many,  indeed  of  most,  of 
the  documents  given  in  the  speech  of  Demosthenes 
has  been  denied,  and  it  is  believed  upon  suflBcient 


Λ 


XVlll 


INTRODUCTION. 


grounds  found  in  the  names  of  the  archons,  and 
the  style  of  the  })ieces  themselves.  It  is  thought, 
however,  that  they  should  not  be  rejected  alto- 
gether, but  tliat  their  substance  is  probably  near 
the  truth.  In  the  oration  of  ^Eschines  we  do  not 
find  the  text  of  any  of  the  documents  cited. 


V 


^SCHINES 


AGAINST 


CTESIPHON 


i 


J.SCHINES  AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


4 


You  see,  Athenians,  what  preparations  are  on  foot, 
wliat  forces  are  arrayed,  what  appeals  to  the  As- 
sembly are  being  made  by  certain  persons  to  prevent 
the  proper  and  ordinary  course  of  justice  from  having 
its  effect  in  the  City.  For  myself  I  come  before  you, 
first,  with  a  firm  belief  in  the  immortal  Gods,  next, 
with  an-abidini?  confidence  in  the  laΛvs  and  in  you, 
convinced  that  intrigues  Λvill  not  more  avail  Λvith  you 
than  these  laws  and  the  cause  of  justice. 

I  could  indeed  have  fain  desired  that  both  in  the 
Council  of  Five  Hundred,  and  in  the  Assembly,  the 
presiding  ofiicers  had  compelled  conformity  to  estab- 
lished rules  of  debate,  and  that  the  laws  had  been  in- 
forced  concerning  the  orderly  deportment  of  public 
speakers  which  were  laid  down  by  Solon.  It  should 
thus  have  been  permitted  to  the  oldest  citizens,  as  the 
laws  prescribe,  to  ascend  the  platform  decorously,  and 
without  tumult  or  annoyance  according  to  their  ex- 
perience express  their  opinions  upon  what  they  re- 
garded most  advantageous  to  the  City.  Afterwards, 
each  citizen  in  order  of  seniority  should  have  in  turn 


•i- 


4  ^SCHINES 

presented  his  independent  views  upon  everv  question. 
In  this  way  it  seems  to  me  Avouhl  the  affairs  of  the 
Cit\'  have  been  best  conducted,  and  prosecutions  liave 
been  reduced  within  the  smallest  compass.  Since 
however  the  old  recognized  rules  of  procedure  liave 
been  swept  away,  and  certain  men  recklessly  intro- 
duce illegal  propositions,  and  certain  otliers  put  them 
to  the  vote, — men  λυΙιο  have  managed  to  secure  the 
presidency,  not  by  just  and  proper  means,  but  taking 
possession  of  it  by  contrivance, — it  is  brought  to  pass 
that  if  any  other  senator  shall  succeed  in  reacliingthe 
first  place  in  due  course  of  law  and  shall  then  attempt 
to  obtain  the  result  of  your  votes  properly,  such  an 
one  is  denounced  and  impeached  by  the  men  wlio 
rei^ard  our  s^overnment  as  no  Ioniser  a  common  in- 
heritance  but  as  their  own  peculiar  property.  And 
Λνίκηι  in  this  way  by  reducing  private  citizens  to  ser- 
vitude and  by  securing  absolute  power  to  themselves 
they  have  overtlirown  established  legal  judgments, 
and  have  passed  decrees  according  to  the  dictates  of 
their  passions,  there  shall  be  lieard  no  longer  that 
most  beautiful  and  proper  invitation  of  the  herald, 
"  AVho  desires  to  express  his  opinion,  of  citizens  of 
fifty  years  of  age  and  upwards,  and  afterwards,  of  all 
others  in  rotation  ?"  Thus  neitlier  the  laws,  nor  the 
senators,  nor  the  presidents,  nor  the  presiding  tribe 
itself  a  tenth  part  of  the  City,  can  control  the  in- 
decent conduct  of  these  orators. 

Such  being  the  case,  and  such  the  position  in  Λvhich 


[2-7.J 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


the  City  is  placed, — and  you  must  be  convinced  that 
this  is  80, — one  part  at  least  of  the  constitution,  if 
I  know  anything  of  the  matter,  still  survives, — the 
right  of  prosecution  for  proposing  unconstitutional 
measures.  Should  you  destroy  this  right,  or  sur- 
render it  to  those  who  will  destroy  it,  I  prophesy  that 
you  will  have  unconsciously  given  away  to  a  few  men 
almost  our  entire  form  of  government.  For  you  must 
surely  know,  Athenians,  that  but  three  forms  of  gov- 
ernment exist,  monarchy,  oligarcliy,  and  democracy : 
the  two  former  are  administered  accordins^  to  the 
feelings  and  opinions  of  those  who  are  at  the  head 
of  affairs,  but  republics  repose  upon  the  authority  of 
law.  Let  no  one  of  you  therefore  forget,  but  on  the 
contrary  let  him  lay  it  carefully  to  lieart,  that  w^hen 
he  enters  this  tribunal  for  the  trial  of  such  an  issue, 
on  that  day  he  is  called  upon  to  cast  his  vote  upon 
liis  own  right  of  free  speech.  Therefore  was  it  that 
our  old  law-givers  placed  in  the  forefront  of  the 
juror's  oath  these  w^ords,  "  I  will  render  a  verdict  ac- 
cording to  law,"  knowing  well  that  when  the  laws 
were  jealously  observed  by  the  City,  free  institutions 
were  safe. 

AVherefore  it  is  that  bearing  these  things  in  mind 
you  sliould  hold  in  abhorrence  all  who  commit  un- 
constitutional acts,  and  that  you  should  look  upon 
no  infraction  of  the  constitution  as  small  or  unim- 
portant, but  treat  all  as  of  the  gravest  nature.  Xor 
should   you  suffer  any  man  to  deprive  you  of  this 


β 


^ESCHINES 


most  vital  right, — neither  the  persuasions  of  the  gen- 
erals who  for  a  long  time  past  have  l)een  at  work 
with  certain  of  our  orators  to  overthrow  the  consti- 
tution, nor  the  solicitations  of  strangers  whom  those 
whose  administration  has  been  illcijal  have  brouirht 
up  liither  to  screen  them  from  justice ;  but  as  each 
one  of  you  would  l)lush  to  quit  the  ranks  in  which 
he  was  stationed  on  the  day  of  battle,  so  you  should 
now  blush  at  the  thought  of  abandoning  the  post  in 
which  you  are  placed  by  the  laws  which  are  to-day 
the  guardians  of  our  institutions. 

You  must  further  bear  in  mind  that  your  fellow- 
citizens  have  now  intrusted  to  your  keeping  tlie  City 
itself  in  thus  confiding  the  constitution  to  your  charge; 
not  only  those  of  them  who  are  here  present  intent 
upon  the  course  of  this  trial,  but  those  also  who  are 
necessarily  absent  upon  their  private  business.  If 
therefore  holding  in  due  regard  these  your  fellow- 
citizens,  and  remembering  the  oaths  you  have  sworn 
and  the  laws  you  are  living  under,  you  should  con- 
vict Ctesiphon  for  having  introduced  an  unconstitu- 
tional bill  false  in  terms  and  injurious  to  the  City, 
overturn,  Athenians,  such  unconstitutional  enact- 
ments, confirm  our  free  institutions,  and  punish  the 
men  who  have  been  advising  against  the  law,  and 
against  the  interests  both  of  the  State  and  of  vour- 
selves.  If  in  this  frame  of  mind  you  listen  to  the 
Λvords  which  are  about  to  be  spoken,  I  well  know 
that  your  verdict  will  be  in  accordance  with  justice 


^ 


α 


[7-10.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


and  right,  and  that  it  will  redound  to  the  credit  of 
yourselves  and  of  the  Avhole  community. 

I  have  thus  far  spoken  about  the  general  nature  of 
this  prosecution,  and,  I  hope,  with  sufficient  flxirness. 
I  now  desire  to  speak  briefly  about  the  laws  which 
have  been  passed  in  regard  to  persons  who  are  ac- 
countable to  the  State,  against  which  the  decree  of 
Ctesiphon  offends. 

In  former  times  it  happened  that  men  who  had 
exercised  the  highest  employments  and  had  been  in- 
trusted Λvith  the  management  of  the  public  revenues, 
although  guilty  therein  of  the  grossest  corruption, 
would  by  conniving  with  certain  orators  both  in  the 
Senate  and  the  General  Assembly  anticipate  all  ex- 
amination into  their  accounts  by  means  of  votes  of 
conmiendation  and  proclamations  of  thanks  in  their 
behalf.  Xot  only  were  citizens  who  attempted  to 
bring  them  to  justice  for  the  state  of  their  accounts 
in  this  Avay  nmch  perplexed,  but  the  jurors  them- 
selves who  were  to  try  the  cause  were  reduced  to 
a  grave  dilemma.  And  many  of  these  officials,  al- 
though clearly  proved  to  have  embezzled  public 
moneys  in  the  most  flagrant  way,  were  yet  permitted 
to  leave  the  judgment-seat  unpunished.  And  not  un- 
reasonably. For  the  jurors  were  ashamed,  it  seems 
to  me,  that  it  should  appear  that  the  same  man 
in  the  same  City,  and  perchance  in  the  very  same 
year,  who  had  been  proclaimed  in  the  Assemblies 
as  worthy  of  being  honored  Λvith  a  golden  crown 


y 


8 


JESCHINES 


by  the  people  for  his  virtue  and  upriLrhtness,  should 
a  short  time  afterwards  be  brought  to  trial,  and  go 
forth  from  our  courts  of  justice  convicted  of  fraud 
in  his  accounts.  So  that  the  jurors  were  compelled, 
as  it  were,  to  give  their  verdict  not  so  much  upon 
the  crime  Avhich  Avas  proven,  as  in  regard  to  the 
honor  of  the  City  itself  And  hence  it  was  that 
one  of  our  law-givers  provided  for  this  very  emer- 
gency by  propounding  a  law — and  a  most  admirable 
one  it  was — by  \vhich  the  coronation  of  all  persons 
liable  to  account  was  distinctly  forbidden.  Notwith- 
standing the  passage  of  this  law,  evasions  of  it  more 
efficacious  than  the  law  itself  have  been  invented,  in 
ignorance  of  which,  unless  they  be  explained  to  you, 
you  would  be  entirely  deceived.  Thus  decrees  for 
the  crowning  of  officials  whilst  they  were  still  liable 
to  account  were  introduced  contrary  to  law  by  men 
not  ill  disposed  by  nature, — if  any  one  can  be  well 
disposed  who  thus  acts  illegally, — and  by  way  of  a 
salvo  to  propriety  they  added  to  the  propositions  the 
words,  "  after  thev  shall  have  rendered  a  correct  ac- 
count  of  their  administration."  The  City,  however, 
was  injured  in  the  same  way  by  this  evasion,  since 
the  accounting  Avas  equally  forestalled  by  the  pane- 
gyrics and  votes  of  crowns  ;  and  the  propounder  of 
the  decree,  by  thus  qualifying  it,  admitted  to  his 
discredit  that  at  the  time  of  its  proposal  he  Avas  con- 
scious of  an  intended  infraction  of  the  law.  But  this 
fellow  Ctesiphon,  men  of  Athens,  at  one  bound  clears 


.1 


,^ 


[10—15.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


both  law  and  qualification  ;  for  by  his  decree  he  asks 
that  Demosthenes  while  actually  in  office,  before  he 
has  furnished  any  explanations  or  delivered  in  any 
accounts,  shall  be  crowned  by  the  people. 

Again,  Athenians,  they  make  use  of  another  sub- 
terfuge altogether  different  from  the  one  just  ad- 
verted to.  For  they  assert  that  an  employment  to 
which  one  is  called  under  a  decree  is  not  a  public 
charge,  but  a  commission  or  agency.  A  public 
charge,  they  contend,  is  such  an  one  only  as  is  desig- 
nated by  lot  by  the  Archons  in  the  temple  of  The- 
seus, or  such  as  the  people  themselves  elect  to  in 
their  assemblies;  such  as  those  of  generals,  com- 
manders of  cavalry,  and  the  like  :  all  others,  they 
say,  are  but  commissions  injoined  by  virtue  of  a  de- 
cree. To  all  these  subtleties  I  oppose  the  law  itself 
enacted  bv  vou  Avith  the  declared  intention  of  defeat- 
ing  such  evasions.  This  law  enacts  in  express  terms 
that  "  all  charges  conferred  by  the  vote  of  the  peo- 
ple"— (for  the  framer  of  the  law  included  in  a  single 
word  all  charges  and  characterized  them  as  all  such 
as  were  conferred  by  a  vote  of  the  people — )  "  and," 
it  further  says,  "  all  persons  set  over  public  works," 
— (now  Demosthenes  was  commissioner  to  repair  the 
walls,  thus  set  over  the  most  important  of  all  our 
works, — )  **  all  who  shall  handle  public  property  for 
more  than  thirty  days,  and  all  who  shall  preside  over 
a  tribunal ;" — (and  all  persons  who  are  set  over 
public  works   are  entitled  so  to  preside — .)     AYhat 


10 


.ESCHINES 


then  does  the  law  direct  all  such  to  do? —  To  exer- 
cise their  charge, — not  their  commission, — after  hav- 
ing been  qualified  in  a  tribunal ;  since  even  charges 
conferred  by  lot  cannot  be  exercised  until  they  have 
been  judicially  confirmed.  And  the  law  compels 
all  such,  as  Λvell  as  all  others  Λνΐιο  exercise  a  public 
charge,  to  submit  their  accounts  to  the  controller 
and  the  public  auditors.  That  I  have  stated  this 
accurately  the  laws  Avhich  will  now  be  read  to  you 

will  show. 

LAWS. 

When  therefore,  Athenians,  Λvhat  the  law  calls  a 
public  charge,  these  men  choose  to  call  a  commission, 
it  becomes  your  duty  to  remind  them  of  this,  to  op- 
pose the  law  itself  to  their  impudent  construction, 
and  to  make  it  plain  to  them  that  you  see  through 
the   vicious    sophistry   by   which   the   enactment   is 
attempted  to  be  set  aside  by  false  glosses  and  eva- 
sions; and  to  let  them  feel,  moreover,  that  the  greater 
their  ingenuity  in  attempting  to  give  an  illegal  ex- 
position, the   greater   shall   be  the  weight  of  your 
displeasure  upon  them.     It  is  right  indeed,  men  of 
Athens,  that  the  law^  and  the  public  speaker  should 
utter  the  self-same  sound ;  but  when  the  law  speaks 
in  one  way,  and  the  orator  in  another,  it  must  surely 
be  to  the  integrity  of  the  law,  not  to  the  insolent 
assertions  of  its  opponent,  that  every  suffrage  should 
be  given. 

I  wish  here  to  reply  briefly  to  an  argument  which 


[15—19.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


11 


Demosthenes  regards  as  impregnable.  "  I  am,"  says 
he,  "  a  member  of  the  ΛYalls  Commission.  I  admit 
it.  But  I  have  given  one  hundred  minie  of  my  own 
monev  towards  the  better  construction  of  the  Λvork. 
For  Avhat  then  am  I  accountable,  unless  private  lib- 
erality is  to  be  the  subject  of  public  accountability?" 
Listen  to  my  just  and  proper  answer  to  this  piece  of 
sophistry. 

In  this  ancient  City  of  ours,  so  vast  in  its  extent, 
no  one  has  ever  been  exempted  from  accountability 
for  any  employment  whatsoever  undertaken  in  the 
public  service.  The  examples  which  I  shall  first  refer 
to  may  doubtless  surprise  you,  for  I  shall  now  men- 
tion the  ministers  of  religion  of  both  sexes,  who 
receive  merely  honorary  compensation,  and  whose 
duty  is  confined  to  putting  up  prayers  to  the  deities 
in  vour  behalf  These  are  all  accountable  both  col- 
lectively  and  individually; — not  onl}-  in  particular, 
but  whole  families  in  common,  the  Eumolpidte  and 
the  Iverykes,  and  all  others.  Again,  trierarchs  are 
accountable  by  law,  although  they  have  not  handled 
public  money,  nor  diverted  from  you  large  portions 
of  your  revenues  whilst  they  have  expended  but  a 
trifle,  neither  found  asserting  they  have  given  to 
you  of  their  own  whilst  they  have  been  but  return- 
ing what  belonged  to  you ;  and  this,  too,  when  by 
the  admission  of  all  they  hav^e  been  consuming  their 
own  patrimony  in  the  expression  of  their  good- will 
to  the  State.     And  not  only  the  trierarchs,  but  our 


12 


iESCHINES 


most  important  assemblies  are  bound  to  submit  to 
the  iudixment  of  the  State  tribunals. 

First  of  all,  the  law  requires  the  Council  of  the 
Areopai^us  to  give  an  account  of  its  transactions  and 
to  submit  its  proceedings  to  examination  by  the  State 
officials  ;  and  this  august  tribunal  which  deals  with 
the  largest  affairs  is  thus  brought  under  your  control. 
Shall  it  be  said  then  that  this  Council  shall  never  be 
crowned  ?— Certainly,  for  it  is  not  allowed  by  tlieir 
ancient   constitution.— Are   they  then   insensible  to 
honor?— So  far  from  this,  that,  not  content  with  inter- 
dicting to  themselves  every  species  of  injustice,  they 
even  punish  the   slightest  fault  committed  by  their 
members ;  whilst  your  orators  insolently  hold  them- 
selves above  the  law  itself.     Again,  your  law-givers 
have  made  the  Council  of  Five  Hundred  accountable  : 
and  so  resolute  is  its  distrust  of  all  officials  thus  made 
liable,  that  at  the  head  of  tlie  law  itself  is  inscribed 
"  that  no  madstrate  who  may  be  called  upon  to  ac- 
count  shall   absent  himself  from   the  City."— "  By 
Hercules,"  shall  some  one  then  exclaim,  "  because  I 
have  exercised  a  public  charge,  shall  I  not  leave  the 
country  when  I  will?"— *'Xo,  you  cannot,  lest  in 
your  night  you  carry  off  with  you  the  property  or 
the  secrets  of  the  State."— 

Furthermore,  the  law  permits  not  that  one  liable 
to  account  shall  consecrate  his  estate  to  religion,  or 
make  offerings  to  the  Gods,  or  become  adopted,  or 
make  a  testamentary  disposition,  or  commit  many 


[19-23.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHOX. 


13 


other  acts.  In  a  word,  the  law  holds  in  pledge  each 
official's  entire  estate,  until  he  shall  have  rendered  to 
the  State  the  most  absolute  account  of  his  transactions 
with  it.  Is  there  none  then  in  the  public  service  Λνΐιο 
may  not  have  disbursed  public  money,  or  even  han- 
dled it  when  in  office  ? — Even  such  an  one  the  law 
directs  to  account  before  the  Auditors. — How  then 
shall  he  do  this,  when  he  has  neither  received  nor 
spent  the  public  money  ? — The  ^Λν  gives  the  answer, 
and  tells  us  what  such  an  one  shall  say ;  for  it  orders 
liim  to  declare  even  so, — *'  I  have  neither  touched 
nor  spent  the  moneys  of  the  City." — Nothing  then 
throughout  the  State  is  exempt  from  the  duty  of  ac- 
counting, or  from  inquiry,  or  from  investigation. — 
That  I  speak  truth  in  this  matter  hear  from  the  laws 

themselves. 

LAAVS. 

AVhen  Demosthenes  shall  therefore  with  triumphant 
air  boldly  assert  that  he  is  not  accountable  for  what 
he  gave,  answer  him  thus :  "  Should  you  not,  De- 
mosthenes, have  permitted  the  herald  of  the  public 
auditors  to  proclaim  in  ancient  and  fitting  form, '  who 
wishes  to  accuse  V  Suffer  it  to  be  objected  to  you  by 
any  one  who  wishes,  that  you  have  given  nothing, 
but  after  having  receiv^ed  from  the  City  ten  talents 
for  the  purpose,  you  have  out  of  this  large  sum  spent 
but  a  little  upon  the  reparation  of  the  walls.  Clutch 
not  by  force  these  civic  honors,  nor  snatch  their  suf- 
frages from  the  judges'  hands.     Hold  yourself  under, 


14 


JESCHINES 


[23—27.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


15 


not  above  the  law ;  for  thus  are  our  democratic  insti- 
tutions upheld." 

Such,  then,  is  my  answer  to  the  frivolous  pretexts 
which  my  adversaries  have  hitherto  opposed  to  me. 
I  shall  now  attempt  to  prove  to  you  from  the  public 
records  that  when  Ctesiphon  proposed  his  decree, 
Demosthenes  was  reallj^  accountable,  as  he  was  at 
that  time  Administrator  of  the  Theoric  Fund  and 
also  Superintendent  of  Repairs  of  AValls,  and  had 
not  yet  rendered  any  account  of  his  management 
of  these  employments.  Let  the  Clerk  now  read  in 
whose  archonship,  and  in  what  month  and  on  what 
day,  and  in  w^hat  Assembly,  Demosthenes  was  elected 
to  administer  the  Theoric  Fund. 

EXUMEEATION  OF  DATES. 

If  therefore  I  go  no  further  than  I  have  done, 
Ctesiphon  will  stand  justly  convicted,  for  he  is  con- 
demned not  by  my  charge,  but  by  the  public  records. 

In  days  of  yore,  Athenians,  there  was  a  controller 
chosen  by  the  people  who  in  each  presidency  ac- 
counted to  it  for  the  public  revenues.  By  reason  of 
the  confidence  which  had  been  reposed  in  Eubulus, 
the  men  who  (before  the  law  of  Ilegemon)  were 
chosen  to  administer  the  Theoric  Fund  exercised  at 
the  same  time  the  offices  of  controller,  of  receiver- 
general,  of  superintendent  of  marine,  and  of  inspector 
of  arsenals.  They  were  also  intrusted  with  the  repair 
of  the  highways,  and  controlled  in  effect  almost  the 


9\ 


entire  municipal  government.  I  am  neither  accusing 
nor  blaming  any  one  for  this:  I  simply  desire  to 
show  you  that  the  law-maker  forbade  even  the  least 
of  these  functionaries  to  be  crowned  before  he  had 
rendered  correct  accounts  of  his  administration.— 
Ctesiphon,  however,  has  not  hesitated  to  propose  a 
decree  for  the  crowning  of  Demosthenes,  who  in  his 
single  person  united  all  the  administrative  faculties 
of  Athens. 

To  prove  that  when  Ctesiphon  brought  in  his  de- 
cree, his  friend  Λvas  also  Superintendent  of  Repairs 
of  Walls,  was  handling  the  public  monev,  was  im- 
posmg  fines  like  other  magistrates,  and  was  presiding 
in  tribunals,  I  shall  produce  to  you  the  testimony  of 
Demosthenes  and  Ctesiphon  themselves.     For  in  the 
archonship  of  Chiierondas,  on  the  twenty-second  day 
of  the  month  Thargelion,  Demosthenes  in  an  Assem- 
bly of  the  people  brought  forward  a  decree  for  the 
assembling  of  the  tribes  upon  the  second  and  third 
days  of  the  month  Scirophorion ;  and  again  another 
decree  he  proposed,  that  from  every  tribe  should  be 
selected  persons  to  oversee  the  work  upon  the  walls, 
and  to  regulate  the  expenditure  for  it.— And  very 
properly  too ;— in  order  that  the  City  might  have 
responsible  citizens  to  whom  to  look  for  an  account 
of  these  outlays. 
Read  these  decrees. 


16 


JESCHINES 


[27—33.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


17 


DECREES. 

Yea,  but  in  the  face  of  all  this,  Demosthenes  insists 
that  he  did  not  become  Superintendent  of  Repairs  of 
Walls,  either  by  lot,  or  by  the  votes  of  the  people. 
And  on  this  both  he  and  Ctesiphon  will  dihite.  My 
answer  shall  be  short  and  clear,  and  shall  pierce 
through  all  their  sophistries.  I  wish  first,  however, 
to  make  a  few  general  remarks  upon  the  subject. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  magistracies,  Athenians  ; 
of  which  the  first  and  most  obvious  class  is  that 
which  is  either  chosen  by  lot  or  elected  by  the 
people;  the  next  is  composed  of  those  who  handle 
public  money  for  over  thirty  days,  or  who  are  set 
over  public  works ;  the  third  class  is  designated  by 
law  to  include  "  all  who  may  be  otherwise  chosen 
and  who  preside  over  tribunals,  and  who  nmst  be 
confirmed  before  they  exercise  their  charge."  Thus, 
after  excluding  magistrates  chosen  by  the  people  or 

bv  lot,  there  remains  the  class  of  functionaries  chosen 

t/        ' 

by  the  tribes,  or  by  the  thirds,  or  by  the  denies,  from 
their  own  bodies  to  administer  public  funds;  and 
this  occurs  when,  as  in  this  instance,  the  tribes  are 
charged  with  the  duty  of  digging  trenches,  or  of  con- 
structing galleys.  The  truth  of  what  I  advance  will 
be  manifest  from  the  laws  themselves. 

LAWS. 

Bear  in  mind,  then,  what  has  just  been  said,  that 
the  law  directs  those  who  have  been  selected  from 


I 


' 


the  body  of  the  tribes  to  be  first  judicially  approved. 
Now  the  tribe  Pandion  has  chosen  Demosthenes  to 
the  office  of  Superintendent  of  Repairs  of  AYalls,  and 
he  has  received  from  the  Treasury  for  this  purpose 
nearlv  ten  talents.  Another  law  forbids  the  honorinor 
of  a  magistrate  Avith  a  crown  while  still  accountable ; 
and  j'ou  are  sworn  to  give  your  verdict  according  to 
law.  But  Ctesiphon  has  introduced  a  decree  for  the 
crowning  of  an  accountable  magistrate,  without  even 
adding  the  words,  '-  after  he  shall  have  rendered  his 
accounts."  I  expose  its  illegality,  and  I  support  my 
charge  by  the  laws,  the  decrees,  by  my  adversaries 
themselves.  How  then  can  you  have  a  plainer  case 
of  violation  of  law  by  the  introduction  of  an  illegal 
decree  ? 

I  shall  now  demonstrate  to  you  that  the  decree  is 
also  illegal  in  providing  as  it  does  for  the  proclama- 
tion of  the  crown.  The  law  directs  explicitly  that 
if  the  crown  be  conferred  by  the  Senate,  it  shall  be 
proclaimed  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  if  by  the  People, 
in  the  Assembly,  and  in  no  other  place.   Read  the  law. 

LAW. 

And   the   law,   Athenians,   wisely  thus   provides. 

For  the  legislature,  I  fancy,  deemed  it  improper  that 

a  public  man  should  be  honored  before  strangers, 

but  that  he  should  content  himself  with  a  distinction 

from  the  hands  of  his  own  people  in  the  City  itself, 

and  that  he  should  never  trade  for  self-advancement 

4 


18 


iESCHINES 


in  the  proclamation  of  a  public  honor. — Thus  thought 
indeed  the  law-giver ;  but  how  thought  Ctesiphon  ? 

Read  the  decree. 

DECREE. 

You  have  just  heard,  Athenians,  that  the  law 
directs  the  proclamation  of  one  who  is  crowned  by 
the  people  to  be  made  in  the  Pnyx  at  an  Assembly 
of  the  people,  and  nowhere  else.  Ctesiphon  however 
not  only  transgresses  the  law  by  directing  it  to  be 
done  in  the  theatre,  thus  changing  the  place  from 
that  Avhere  the  Athenians  hold  their  Assembly,  but 
he  commands  it  to  take  place  not  before  the  people 
alone,  but  in  presence  of  the  assembled  Greeks,  that 
they  may  see  along  with  us  what  manner  of  man  it  is 
whom  we  thus  honor. 

The  framer  of  this  decree  having  thus  then  plainly 
violated  the  law  shall  be  now  seen  arrayed  with  De- 
mosthenes in  raising  up  subtleties  to  defeat  it.  That 
you  may  not  be  deceived  through  ignorance  of  them, 
I  will  expose  and  exhibit  them  in  advance.  These 
men  will  not  indeed  assert  that  the  laws  do  not  for- 
bid the  proclamation  of  one  λ\Λ\ο  is  crowned  by  the 
people  to  be  made  outside  of  an  Assembly  of  the  peo- 
ple, but  they  will  bring  in  as  their  justification  a  law 
concerning  the  Dionysiac  festivals  ;  and  making  use 
of  only  a  portion  of  it,  they  will  practise  upon  your 
discernment,  by  laying  before  you  an  enactment 
which  has  no  application  to  the  present  prosecution. 
They  will  tell  you  that  there  are  two  laws  in  our 


[33—39.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


19 


City  relative  to  proclamations  :  one,  Λvhich  I  have 
just  presented,  \vhich  indeed  expressly  forbids  a  cit- 
izen who  is  crowned  by  the  people  from  being  so 
proclaimed  outside  of  an  Assembly  ;  another  quite 
opposite,  Avhich  authorizes  the  proclamation  to  be 
made  in  the  theatre  at  the  representation  of  the 
tragedies,  provided  the  people  shall  so  direct.  And 
under  this  last-named  law  they  will  assert  that  Ctesi- 
phon wrote  his  decree. 

Against  this  artifice  I  present  the  laws  themselves 
as  advocates,  as  I  shall  earnestly  and  persistently 
continue  to  do  throughout  this  wiiole  controversy. 
If  such  a  thing  could  indeed  be  true,  and  such  a 
practice  could  have  crept  into  your  polity  as  to  leave 
laws  without  force  standing  along  with  laws  in  full 
force,  and  two  laws  directly  contradictory  could  be 
found  side  by  side  relating  to  the  same  subject,  what 
should  be  said  of  a  government  in  Λvhich  the  law 
injoins  at  one  and  the  same  time  to  do  and  not  to  do 
the  same  act?  But  it  is  not  so,  and  may  you  never 
fall  into  such  a  disorder  of  the  law !  The  founders 
of  our  popular  constitution  were  not  unmindful  of 
such  a  contingency,  and  have  expressly  injoined  upon 
the  junior  archons  to  propose  every  year  to  the  people 
a  reformation  of  the  laws,  after  making  a  careful 
examination  as  to  whether  any  enactment  exists  at 
variance  with  any  other,  or  Avhether  repealed  laws 
are  found  among  those  in  force,  or  whether  there  are 
redundant  or  pleonastic  statutes.     And  should  any 


20 


^SCHINES 


such  be  found,  the  junior  arehons  are  directed  to 
have  tlieni  inscribed  and  attached  to  the  statues  of 
our  heroes  for  inspection  ;  and  the  senators  are  then 
required  to  call  an  Assembly  of  the  people,  and  to  lay 
before  them  the  names  of  their  propounders.  The 
president  is  then  to  take  the  vote  of  the  people  upon 
the  question  of  Avhich  laws  shall  be  abrogated  and 
which  shall  continue  operative,  so  that  there  sball  be 
finally  found  but  a  single  enactment  in  force  upon 
the  same  subject. 
Read  here  the  laws. 

LAWS. 

If  then,  Athenians,  the  assertion  of  these  men 
Avere  true,  and  there  had  been  two  laws  in  existence 
upon  the  subject  of  proclamations,  it  seems  plain  to 
me  that  the  arehons  would  have  discovered  them 
and  the  presidents  would  have  returned  them  to  their 
propounders ;  and  one  or  other  of  them,  eitber  that 
Λvhich  gave  authority  to  make  the  proclamation  or 
that  \vhich  withheld  it,  would  have  been  repealed. 
But  since  none  of  these  things  has  taken  place,  they 
are  plainly  convicted  not  only  of  advancing  a  ΛνΙΗιιΙ 
untruth  but  an  impossibility.  I  shall  noV  expose 
to  you  the  source  from  which  they  draw  this  false- 
hood in  explaining  the  origin  of  the  laws  relating  to 
proclamations  in  the  theatre. 

At  the  season  of  the  new  tragedies,  certain  citizens 
without  having  obtained  authority  from  the  people 


[39—44.] 


AGAIKST   CTESIPIION. 


21 


would  cause  themselves  to  be  proclaimed,  some  as 
being  crowned  by  their  tribesmen,  others  by  their 
fellows  of  the  deme;    nay,  there  would  be    others 
Avho  having  ordered  silence  to  be  proclaimed  by  the 
herald  would  publicly  manumit  their  slaves,  calling 
upon  all   Greece  to  witness  their  enfranchisement. 
But  what  Avas  even  more  disgusting,  certain  citizens 
who  had  found  means  to  enter  into  relations  of  hos- 
pitality with  foreign  cities,  would  actually  cause  it  to 
be  then  proclaimed,  that  they  had  been  honored  with 
a  crown   on   account  of  their   virtue   and  valor  by 
the   citizens,  for  instance,  of  Rhodes,  or  of  Chios, 
or  of  any  other  city.     And  this  they  did,  not  after 
having  first  obtained  your  consent,  for  w^hich  they 
w^ould  have  been  your  debtors  for  at  least  thanks,  as 
citizens  who  are  crowned  by  the  Senate  or  by  the 
People,  but  upon  their  own  decision,  Avithout  any 
decree  at  all.     In  consequence  of  this  the  spectators, 
the  chorus-masters   and  the  actors  were  much  an- 
noyed ;   and  the  men  who  were  proclaimed  in  this 
way  in  the  theatre   really  received  a  higher  honor 
than  citizens  wdio  were  crowned  by  the  people.     For 
to   these   last   a  place,  namely  the   Assembly,   Avas 
designated,  in  w^hich  they  should  be  crowned,  and 
it  was  interdicted  to  them  to  be   proclaimed   else- 
where;  whereas  the  others  were  proclaimed  in  the 
presence  of   all    Greece: — the   former,   at  your   in- 
stance, by  authority  of  a  decree; — the  latter,  w^ith- 
out  any  decree  at  all. 


22 


^ESCHINES 


In  view  of  this  abuse,  one  of  our  legislators  intro- 
duced a  law  which  had  no  connection  whatsoever 
with  the  law  in  regard  to  the  crowning  by  the  people, 
and  which  of  course  in  no  wise  affected  it;  since  it 
was  not  the  Assembly  of  the  people,  but  the  represen- 
tations at  the  theatre  Avhich  were  interfered  with  by 
the  course  which  had  been  pursued.  And  the  new 
enactment  did  not  clash  with  existing  laws, — for  that 
was  not  permissible, — but  it  operated  simply  upon 
such  persons  as  were  crowned  without  a  decree  by 
the  tribes  and  denies,  and  upon  citizens  wlio  enfran- 
chised their  slaves,  and  upon  crowns  voted  by  foreign 
cities.  It  expressly  forbade  the  manumission  of  a 
slave  in  the  theatre,  or  the  proclamation  of  a  crown 
conferred  by  the  tribes  or  denies,  or  by  any  one  else, 
under  pain  of  infamy  to  the  herald. 

Since  then  it  is  directed  that  those  honored  with  a 
crown  by  the  Senate  shall  be  proclaimed  in  the  Sen- 
ate Cliamber,  and  those  crowned  by  the  people  in  the 
Assembly,  and  it  is  interdicted  to  those  crowned  by 
the  tribes  or  denies  to  be  so  proclaimed  in  the  theatre, 
that  no  one  by  mean  solicitations  for  crowns  and 
proclamations  should  thereby  obtain  a  spurious 
honor,  and  it  is  moreover  forbidden  by  the  law  that 
proclamation  shall  be  made  by  any  one  unless  by  the 
Senate,  the  people,  the  tribes  and  the  demes ;  if  all 
these  be  excepted,  what  remains  but  the  case  of  crowns 
conferred  by  foreign  states?  That  this  is  manifestly 
so,  I  shall  convince  you  by  the  laws  themselves. 


[44—47.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


23 


♦^ 


Besides  it  is  injoined  by  law  that  the  crown  of  gold 
which  shall  be  proclaimed  in  the  theatre  in  behalf 
of  any  one  shall  be  taken  from  him  and  consecrated 
to  Athene.     ΛλΠιο  ΛνοηΜ  dare  however  from  this  to 
accuse  the  people  of  Athens  of  a  sordid  economy  ? 
Never  was  there  a  city,  never  an  individual,  so  desti- 
tute of  generosity,  as  in  the  same  moment  to  pro- 
claim, take  aAvay,  and  consecrate  a  crown  of  their 
own   bestowal !     This  consecration  is  doubtless   di- 
rected to  be  made  because  the  crown  has  been  con- 
ferred  l)y  strangers,  that   no   man   may  estimate  a 
foreign  honor  as  of  greater  value  than  his  country, 
and  may  not  be  tempted  in  consequence  to  fail  in  his 
devotion  to  her.     The  crown  conferred  by  the  people 
and  proclaimed  in  the  Assembly  is  never  consecrated, 
but  on  the  contrary  is  permitted  to  be  enjoyed  not 
only  by  its  recipient  but  by  his  descendants,  that  by 
preserving  this  memorial  in  their  family  they  may 
never  become   ill-disposed   to   their   country.     And 
this  is  the  reason  why  the  law-maker  has  prohibited 
the  proclamation  in  the  theatre  of  a  crown  conferred 
by  strangers  unless   authorized  by  a  decree  of  the 
people;— that  the  foreign  city  which  may  desire  so 
to  honor  one  of  your  citizens  shall  first  through  an 
embassy  demand  it  of  the  people ;  and  thus  he  w^ho 
is  crowned  shall  owe  a  higher  debt  of  gratitude  to 
vou  w^ho  have   permitted   the   proclamation  than  to 
those  who  have  presented  him  with  the  crown  itself. 
Let  the  laws  be  read  in  proof  of  my  assertion. 


*> 


24 


^ESCHINES 


LAWS. 


"When  therefore  tliese  men  in  tlie  desire  of  de- 
ceiving you  shall  cry  out  that  the  law  allows  the 
crowning  to  take  place  in  the  theatre  if  the  people 
so  decree,  remember  to  answer  them  thus: — ''Yes, 
if  it  be  a  crown  conferred  by  another  city.  But  if  it 
be  the  Athenian  people  which  gives  it,  the  place  in 
which  it  is  to  be  done  is  absolutely  settled :  it  is  un- 
lawful to  proclaim  it  outside  of  an  Assembly.  Should 
you  spend  the  whole  day  in  twisting  the  words,  'and 
never  elscAvhere,'  you  shall  fail  to  show  that  your 
decree  was  in  conformity  to  the  law." 

There  remains  to  be  considered  a  part  of  the  prose- 
cution upon  which  I  shall  dwell  Avith  great  earnest- 
ness:— the  pretext  by  Avliich  Demosthenes  is  asserted 
to  be  worthy  of  the  honor  of  the  crown.  The  decree 
in  question  alleges  in  this  respect  "that  the  herald 
shall  proclaim  in  the  theatre  to  the  Greeks  that  the 
Athenian  people  crowns  Demosthenes  for  his  virtue 
and  probity,"  and,  above  all,  "for  his  persevering 
efforts  both  by  speech  and  action  to  achieve  the  best 
results  for  his  country."  My  argument  on  this  point 
shall  be  simple  and  easily  understood  by  you  who  are 
to  pass  upon  the  question.  As  prosecutor  it  is  my 
duty  to  establish  that  this  commendation  of  Demos- 
thenes is  utterly  false,  because  he  has  never  been 
found  nor  is  he  now  found  advisinir  or  doinir  the 
best  for  his  country.     If  I  show  this,  Ctesiphon  must 


[47—53.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


25 


be  undoubtedly  fairly  convicted,  since  all  our  laws 
forbid  the  introduction  of  falsehood  into  the  public 
records.  The  defendant  to  insure  his  acquittal  must 
establish  the  opposite  of  this:  and  you  will  decide 
upon  the  strength  of  our  arguments  and  assertions. 
Such  then  is  the  state  of  the  case. 

To  pass  in  review  the  whole  life  of  Demosthenes 
would  occupy  too  much  time,  and  of  what  profit  to 
us  would  it  be  to  discuss  it  ?  It  would  be  of  no  value 
to  speak  of  the  prosecution  brought  by  him  for  his 
Λvound  before  the  Council  of  Areopagus  against  his 
relative  Demomeles  the  Paeanian,  and  to  tell  of  the 
gashes  he  inflicted  upon  his  own  head.  Ήοτ  need  I 
speak  of  the  expedition  of  Kephisodotus  when  he 
sailed  with  the  fleet  to  the  Hellespont,  Demosthenes 
as  one  of  the  trierarchs  having  the  admiral  in  his 
own  ship,  eating  at  the  same  table  Avith  him,  sharing 
in  his  libations  and  sacrifices,  and  asserting  a  claim 
to  this  intimacy  by  reason  of  a  family  friendship,  and 
yet  not  liesitating  to  denounce  him  and  to  become 
his  accuser  in  a  case  of  life  and  death.  Or  Λvhy 
should  I  refer  to  the  aflair  with  Midias  and  the  blows 
Λvhich  Demosthenes  received  from  him  in  the  theatre 
when  he  was  exercising  his  duties  as  chorus-master, 
and  how  he  compounded  for  thirty  minae  the  outrage 
against  liimself  and  the  judgment  which  the  people 
had  pronounced  against  Midias  in  the  temple  of  Dio- 
nysus ?  I  ought,  it  seems  to  me,  to  pass  over  all 
such  details;  not  in  the  desire  of  either  deceiving 


26 


^SCHINES 


you,  or  of  betraying  my  cause,  but  in  the  apprehen- 
sion that  I  might  incur  your  displeasure  in  the  recital 
of  facts  confessedly  true  indeed,  but  stale  and  known 
to  every  one.  And  you,  Ctesiphon,  I  ask,  which  is 
the  most  proper  treatment  for  a  man  whose  baseness 
is  so  familiar  and  clear  to  the  hearers,  that  his  accuser 
is  compelled  to  omit  charges  not  because  they  are 
untrue  but  only  too  old  and  notorious?  Is  it  risrht 
that  such  an  one  should  be  honored  with  a  crown  of 
gold,  or  rather  be  branded  with  infamy?  You  who 
have  insolently  dared  to  introduce  falsehoods  into  a 
decree,  shall  you  brave  our  halls  of  justice  with  im- 
punity, or  shall  punishment  be  inflicted  upon  you  by 
the  City  ? 

In  regard  to  Demosthenes's  public  offences,  I  shall 
endeavor  to  speak  more  directly.  I  understand  that 
he  intends,  when  it  comes  to  his  turn  to  address  you, 
to  divide  into  periods  the  time  of  his  public  career. 
The  first  of  these,  as  I  am  informed,  he  dates  from 
our  war  with  Philip  about  Amphipolis,  and  concludes 
with  the  peace  and  alliance  brought  about  by  Phi- 
locrates  of  Agiiusia  with  his  own  assistance,  as  I  shall 
plainly  prove  to  you.  Tlie  next  he  will  fix  as  in- 
cluding the  period  of  the  peace  until  the  day  when 
this  same  orator  caused  it  to  be  broken  by  his  dec- 
laration of  Λvar.  The  third  covers  the  period  of  the 
war  until  the  fatal  day  of  Chreronea :  and  the  fourth 
will  bring  us  thence  to  the  present  time.  He  has 
thus,  as  I  hear,  divided  his  whole  administration,  and 


[53_57.] 


AGAINST   (TTESIPHON. 


27 


he  intends,  it  seems,  to  demand  of  me  as  to  which  of 
the  four  periods  I  accuse  him,  and  w^hen  it  was  that 
I  charfire  him  with  not  bavins^  well  served  his  countrv; 
and  he  proclaims  that  should  I  refuse  to  answer  and 
should  I  wrap  myself  up  in  my  robe  and  try  to  es- 
cape, he  will  strip  me  bare,  and  drag  me  to  the 
tribunal  where  he  Λνϋΐ  force  me  to  speech.  That  he 
may  not  then  insolently  prevail,  and  that  you  may 
be  forewarned,  and  that  I  may  reply,  I  now  say  to 
you,  Demosthenes,  in  presence  of  all  the  jurors,  and 
the  other  citizens  who  are  standing  round  us,  in 
presence  of  the  assembled  Greeks  who  have  thought 
fit  to  be  here  during  this  trial,  (I  see  them  not  a 
few,  but  in  numbers  vastly  greater  than  any  one  can 
remember  to  have  ever  beheld  at  a  public  prosecu- 
tion,) I  answer  that  I  accuse  you  in  regard  to  each 
and  every  one  of  the  four  periods  which  you  have 
thought  fit  to  name.  And  w^ith  the  permission  of  the 
Gods,  and  an  impartial  hearing  from  the  jurors,  if  I 
am  only  able  to  recollect  what  I  know  in  regard  to 
you,  I  shall  make  it  clear  as  day  that  to  the  Divinity 
and  to  those  who  have  conducted  our  affairs  Avith 
propriety  and  moderation  is  it  that  the  City  owes 
to-day  the  security  she  enjoys;  while  you,  Demos- 
thenes, shall  be  proved  to  have  been  the  author  of  all 
the  calamities  she  has  undergone.  I  shall  adopt  the 
same  order  and  division  which  I  am  told  he  will  use, 
and  will  first  refer  to  the  first  period,  next  to  the 
second,  thirdly  to  that  which  succeeded  it,  and  finally 


28 


^SCHINES 


discuss  our  present  situation.  And  I  shall  direct 
myself  in  the  outset  to  the  peace  which  was  en- 
gineered by  you  and  Pliilocrates. 

It  was  in  your  power,  men  of  Athens,  to  have 
made  the  first  peace  with  the  consent  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Greeks,  had  certain  of  your  public 
men  suftered  you  to  await  the  return  of  the  embassies 
which  you  had  sent  at  that  time  to  the  dittcrent 
States,  inviting  them  to  unite  in  a  general  Grecian 
Confederacy  against  Philip ;  for  it  was  a  period 
favorable  to  the  recoverv  of  our  ascendencv  with 
the  consent  of  the  Greeks.  This  advantaije  vou  lost 
through  the  corruption  of  Demosthenes  and  Pliiloc- 
rates, Λνΐιο  were  purchased  to  conspire  against  the 
public  interests.  Should  this  statement  falling  sud- 
denly upon  your  ears  strike  any  of  you  as  improb- 
able, hearken  attentively  to  what  I  am  about  to  say, 
just  as  we  do  Λvhen  we  sit  down  to  examine  an  old 
account  of  expenditures.  AVe  sometimes  uiidoubt- 
edly  leave  home  with  false  opinions  in  regard  to  our 
accounts;  yet  Avhen  the  reckoning  has  been  made, 
none  is  so  unreasonable  as  not  to  assent  to  and  rec- 
ognize the  correctness  of  what  the  calculation  has 
proved.  And  so  should  you  now  listen  to  Λvhat  I  am 
about  to  say.  Should  an}^  of  you  have  come  from 
home  in  the  long-entertained  belief  that  Demosthenes 
could  never  have  urged  Philip's  interests  in  concert 
with  Pliilocrates,  let  him,  I  say,  Avho  is  so  disposed 
suspend  his  judgment  until  after  he  hears  me : — for 


[57—62.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


29 


this  is  only  justice.     If  you  give  me  your  attention 
then  while  I  briefly  recall  to  you  these  periods,  if  I 
show  you  the  very  decree  proposed  by  Demosthenes 
in  conjunction  Λvith    Philocrates,  if  an  examination 
into  the  truth  of  the  matter  convicts  him  of  having 
written   more   decrees  than   his   confederate   in  the 
first  negotiations  about  the  peace  and  the  alliance,  of 
having  flattered  Philip  to  the  depths  of  baseness,  of 
havinsr  refused  to  wait  the  return  of  our  envoys,  and 
of  having  prevented  our  people  from  concluding  the 
peace  Avith  the  Common  Assembly  of  the  Greeks,  of 
having  delivered  up  to  Philip  Kersobleptes  king  of 
Thrace  the  friend  and  ally  of  Athens ;— if  I  demon- 
strate all  this,  I  claim  of  you  this  moderate  fiivor : — 
concede  to  me,  in  the  name  of  Heaven,  that  this  man 
in  the  first  of  these  four  periods  at  least  did  not  well 
administer  our  afiairs. — I  shall  expose  all  this  so  that 
you  may  readily  follow  me. 

Philocrates  had  proposed  a  decree  by  which  Philip 
should  be  allowed  to  send  hither  a  herald  and  ambas- 
sadors to  treat  of  peace.  This  was  attacked  as  con- 
trary to  law  ;  a  day  was  fixed  for  the  trial ;  Lykinus 
prosecuted,  Philocrates  defended  himself  and  was  sup- 
ported by  Demosthenes,  and  acquitted.  Then  came 
the  time  when  Themistocles  was  archon.  Without 
a  title  either  by  original  selection  or  as  substitute 
for  another,  but  brought  in  through  bribery  and 
intrigue,  Demosthenes  became  a  senator,  that  in  the 
Senate  he  might  uphold  Philocrates  both  by  Λvord 


>■ 


1 


30 


.ESCHIXES 


and  deed,  as  the  result  lias  clearly  shown.  For  Plii- 
locrates  was  thus  enabled  to  obtain  the  passage  of 
another  decree  by  which  the  deputies  Λvere  directed 
to  be  chosen  to  proceed  to  Philip  to  ask  him  to 
send  hither  plenipotentiaries  to  negotiate  a  peace. 
Amongst  the  number  of  deputies  Demosthenes  Λva8 
found,  and  upon  his  return  from  Macedon  he  spoke 
strongly  in  favor  of  peace,  and  confirmed  the  report 
of  the  other  deputies.  Alone  of  all  the  Senate  he 
proposed  to  conclude  a  treaty  with  Philip's  herald 
and  ambassadors,  conforming  in  all  this  to  the  views 
of  Philocrates.  The  one  obtained  authority  for 
Philip's  herald  and  envoys  to  be  sent  hither ;  the 
other  closed  with  them  after  their  arrival.  For  what 
followed,  give  me  here  your  most  earnest  attention. 

The  negotiations  were  carried  on  by  Demosthenes 
and  Philocrates  alone  without  the  other  deputies,  who 
upon  this  change  of  affairs  were  shortly  afterwards 
grossly  calumniated  by  Demosthenes ;  and  this  was 
not  surprising,  as  these  two  men  had  been  joined  in 
the  embassy  and  had  prepared  the  decrees  in  concert. 
And  by  these  decrees,  first,  they  brought  it  to  pass 
that  you  should  refuse  to  await  the  return  of  the  en- 
voys who  had  been  sent  by  you  to  stir  up  the  Greeks 
against  Philip,  in  order  that  you  miglit  conclude 
peace  with  him  separately,  and  \vithout  the  other 
Greeks.  Next,  you  were  induced  not  only  to  make 
peace  with  Philip,  but  to  enter  into  an  alliance  with 
him,  so  that  your  partisans  in  the  other  States  might 


[62— 67.J 


AGAINST  CTESIPHOX. 


31 


be  reduced  to  despair  when  they  saw  you  urging 
them  to  war  with  Philip,  and  at  the  same  time  not 
only  concluding  peace  with  him  at  Athens  but  enter- 
ing into  a  strict  alliance  with  him.  Lastly,  Kerso- 
bleptes  king  of  Thrace  was  not  only  not  included  in 
this  convention,  but  was  not  permitted  to  participate 
either  in  the  peace  or  the  alliance  ;  although  the 
expedition  was  actually  then  on  foot  against  him. 

The  king  of  Macedon  indeed  who  had  purchased 
these  advantages  was  not  acting  unfairly  in  this 
matter,  since  he  had  a  right  to  obtain  what  was  best 
for  himself  before  taking  the  oaths  and  entering 
into  the  treaties ;  but  these  men  who  were  be- 
traying and  selling  out  to  him  the  resources  of  the 
State  deserved  your  hottest  indignation.  And  yet 
this  Demosthenes  who  is  telling  us  he  is  now  the 
enemy  of  Alexander  as  he  then  Avas  of  Philip,  while 
he  is  reproaching  me  with  the  friendship  of  the 
former,  snatched  from  vou  the  time  for  considera- 
tion,  by  directing  the  presidents  to  call  an  Assembly 
of  the  people  upon  the  eighth  day  of  Elaphebolion, 
a  holiday  consecrated  to  the  games  and  sacrifices  of 
Esculapius, — a  thing  theretofore  unheard  of.  And 
Avhat  was  his  excuse  for  this  ?  Why,  forsooth,  that 
when  Philip^s  deputies  should  arrive,  you  could  de- 
liberate without  delay  upon  his  propositions.  He 
thus  procured  in  advance  an  Assembly  for  deputies 
who  were  still  in  Macedonia,  deprived  you  of  the 
opportunity  for  discussion,  and  hurried  through  the 


32 


^SCHINES 


whole  matter  in  order  that  you  might  conchule  peace 
by  yourselves,  iti  the  absence  of  your  deputies,  and 
without  the  concurrence  of  the  other  Greeks.  Mean- 
while Philip's  deputies  arrived,  while  yours  who  were 
exciting  the  other  Greeks  against  him  were  still  away. 
Then  it  was  that  Demosthenes  pushed  through  an- 
other decree,  by  which,  Avithout  waiting  for  your  own 
envoys,  you  were  to  deliberate  on  the  instant  imme- 
diately after  the  Dionysiac  festivals  on  the  eighteenth 
and  nineteenth  of  the  month,  not  only  upon  the  peace 
but  upon  the  alliance  with  the  king  of  Macedon. 
For  the  truth  of  this  I  appeal  to  the  decree. 

The  Assemblies  were  accordingly  convened,  after 
these  festivals  had  been  celebrated;  and  upon  the 
first  of  them  a  common  resolve  of  the  Allies  was 
read,  the  heads  of  which  I  ΛνΙΙΙ  now  briefiy  state. 
And  first  they  desired  that  you  should  deliberate  in 
regard  to  the  peace  separately,  omitting  all  reference 
to  the  alliance,  not  from  forgetfulness,  but  because 
they  thought  that  even  the  peace  itself  was  more 
necessarv  than  honorable.  Xext,  in  the  endeavor  to 
provide  against  the  corruption  of  Demosthenes  they 
inserted  in  the  resolve  that  to  any  of  the  Grecian 
States  it  should  be  permitted  during  the  space  of 
three  months  to  be  inscribed  upon  the  same  pillar 
with  the  Athenians  and  thus  to  participate  with 
them  in  the  same  stipulations  and  treaties. 

Two  important  advantages  were  thus  secured :  first, 
a  gain  of  three  months'  time  for  the  preparation  of 


LI 


[67—72.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHOX. 


33 


the  Grecian  Embassies;  secondly,  the  obtaining  for 
Athens  of  the  good-will  of  the  other  Greeks  through 
a  General  Assembly:  so  that  if  the  treaty  were 
violated  we  should  not  be  compelled  to  fight  alone 
and  unsupported,  in  which  condition  we  have  been 
placed  through  the  mismanagement  of  Demosthenes. 
The  reading  of  these  documents  will  establish  the 
correctness  of  my  statements. 

THE  RESOLUTIONS  OF  THE  ALLIES. 

I  declared  myself,  I  now  avow,  in  favor  of  this 
resolution,  as  did  all  who  spoke  in  this  first  As- 
sembly. And  the  people  went  away  in  the  convic- 
tion that  peace  should  be  concluded,  but  that  it  was 
inexpedient  to  deliberate  at  that  time  about  the  alli- 
ance, in  consequence  of  the  invitation  from  the  other 
Greeks;  but  that  it  should  be  engaged  in  in  con- 
junction with  the  rest  of  Greece.  Night  intervened. 
The  next  day  we  reassembled;  and  then  Demos- 
thenes getting  possession  of  the  platform,  to  the 
exclusion  of  every  one  else,  proclaimed  that  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  day  before  was  utterly  worthless, 
unless  Philip's  deputies  would  consent  to  such  an 
arrangement;  And  he  asserted  that  he  knew  not  of 
any  peace  separate  from  the  alliance.  ''It  will  not 
do,"  said  he, — (I  remember  well  his  expression  from 

my  repugnance  both  to  the  speaker  and  liis  words, ) 

"  it  will  not  do  to  sever  the  alliance  from  the  peace 
nor  to  wait  upon  the  delays  of  the  other  Greeks. 

6 


34 


^SCHINES 


We  must  either  fight  alone,  or  conclude  a  separate 
peace."  AVhen  he  had  ended,  he  called  Antipater  to 
the  platform,  and  put  some  questions  to  him,  having 
concerted  Avith  him  in  advance  both  the  questions  to 
be  asked  and  the  answers  to  be  given  to  them  against 
the  City's  interests.  In  the  end  this  course  prevailed, 
Demosthenes  carrying  his  point  by  words,  and  Phi- 
locrates  embodying  them  in  the  decree. 

There  still  remained  to  be  effected  by  them  the 
betrayal  of  Kersobleptes  with  the  kingdom  of  Thrace. 
This  w^as  accomplished  upon  the  26th  of  the  same 
Elaphebolion,  before  Demosthenes  set  out  upon  his 
last  embassy  to  receive  the  oaths.     Yes !  this  orator 
w^ho  now  proclaims  himself  before  you  as  such  an 
enemy  of  Philip  and  of  Alexander,  Λvho  orders  you 
to   load   down   the   Macedonians  with   abuse,  went 
twice  as  ambassador  to  Macedon,  when  there  was  no 
need  for  him  even  to  go  at  all.    This  senator  through 
intrio-ue,  sitting'  then  in  this  Assembly  of  the  2Gth, 
surrendered  Kersobleptes  in  concert  with  Pliilocrates. 
For  Pliilocrates  caused  to  be  secretly  inserted  in  the 
decree  a  clause  which  Demosthenes  procured  to  be 
carried  with  the  others,  "  that  the  representatives  of 
the  allies  should  on  that  very  day  exchange  oaths 
with  Philip's  deputies."     But  as  no  representative  of 
Kersobleptes  was  present,  a  decree  which  compelled 
the  deputies  then  present  to  exchange  oaths,  in  effect 
excluded  Kersobleptes  who  was  absent. 


f*JI 


•t• 


[72—76.] 


AGAINST   CTTESIPHON. 


35 


THE   DECREE.    THE  PRESIDENT. 

Admirable  indeed,  Athenians,  admirable  is  the 
provision  by  which  our  public  records  are  preserved 
forever!  Immutable,  and  changing  not  with  the 
shifting  opinions  of  the  political  renegades  who 
readily  pass  from  one  side  to  the  other,  they  hold 
up  before  the  eyes  of  the  people  a  certain  means  of 
information  whenever  it  chooses  to  look  into  the 
antecedents  of  the  faithless  men  who  pretend  to 
have  become  all  at  once  upright  citizens!  And  it 
will  be  well  for  me  to  exhibit  just  here  an  instance 
of  this  fellow's  sycophancy.  During  the  year  of  his 
senatorship  he  appears  to  have  not  once  moved  that 
the  ambassadors  from  any  other  country  should  re- 
ceive the  honor  of  precedency.  But  now  for  the  first 
and  only  time  he  accords  to  Philip's  envoys  the 
highest  place  of  honor.  lie  orders  cushions  to  be 
brought  for  them  to  repose  upon,  has  tapestry  spread 
around  them,  and  at  the  dawn  of  day  conducts  them 
to  the  theatre  with  such  unseemly  flattery,  that  he  is 
greeted  with  hisses  from  the  people  for  his  abject 
adulation  towards  them.  AVhen  the  envoys  set  out 
for  Thebes  on  their  return,  they  were  conducted 
thither  in  three  carriao^es  drawn  bv  mules  hired  ex- 
pressly  by  Demosthenes,  who  thus  held  up  his  City 
to  be  the  laughing-stock  of  Greece.  That  I  msij 
pause  for  a  moment  on  this  subject,  let  the  clerk 
read  here  the  decree  in  regard  to  the  precedence 
awarded  to  the  ambassadors. 


36 


^SCHINES 


DECREE. 


And  yet  this  ffross,  this  abject  flatterer,  Athenians, 
when  he  obtained,  through  the  spies  sent  to  him  by 
Charidemus,  the  first  intelligence  of  Philip's  assassi- 
nation, fidsely  asserted  that  he  had  not  so  learnt  it 
from  Charidemus,  but  from  the  Gods  themselves  in  a 
vision,  which  he  forged  for  the  occasion.     Yes,  this 
man  who  by  day  outrages  the  divinities  by  his  per- 
jured appeals  to  them,  has,  he  asserts,  communica- 
tions bv  niiiht  from  Jupiter   and   from  Athene,  in 
which  they  reveal  to  him  what  is  to  take  place  in  the 
future!     On  the   seventh    day   from   his   daughter's 
death,  before  he  had  even  mourned  for  her,  or  ac- 
complished the  last  rites  of  affection,  he  comes  forth 
in  public,  crowned  with  a  garland  of  flowers,  and  in 
a  Avhite  robe,  and  offers  up  sacrifices  to  the  Gods  for 
the  deliverance ;— the  unnatural  Avretch  thus  acting 
in  defiance  of  the  laws  of  decency,  the  parent  who 
had  just  lost  her  who  was  the  first  and  only  one  who 
ever  called  him  by  the  name  of  father!     I  wish  not 
to  insult  his  misfortune,  but  I  choose  to  display  his 
real  character.    The  unfeeling  parent,  the  bad  father, 
can  never  become  the  upright  statesman.     He  who 
cherishes  and  loves  not  those  who  are  bound  to  him 
bv  the  dearest  and  nearest  ties,  will  never  exhibit  a 
stronger  attachment  to  you  who  are  strangers  to  him. 
The  wicked  man  in  private  life  will  never  prove  the 
virtuous  counsellor  towards  the  public;— and  he  who 


#r 


I 


[76—81.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


37 


is  shewn  to  have  been  heartless  and  worthless  in  his 
own  home  was  never  the  good  and  upright  represen- 
tative of  Athens  in  Macedonia : — he  had  only  changed 
his  country,  not  his  nature. 

AVe  now  approach  the  second  period  to  which  I 
have  referred  ;  and  here  we  may  well  ask  how  it  was 
that  while  Philocrates  was  denounced  and  driven  into 
exile  for  the  same  political  acts  which  he  had  com- 
mitted along  with  Demosthenes,  the  latter  stepped 
forth  as  the  accuser  of  others,  and,  corrupt  as  he  Avas, 
was  enabled  to  plunge  us  into  our  present  miseries? 

AVhen  Philip  had  suddenly  passed  Thermopylie, 
and  contrary  to  all  expectation  had  destroyed  the 
cities  of  the  Phocians,  raising  up  the  power  of  the 
Thebans,  as  you  then  thought,  to  a  height  which 
threatened  the  general  advantage  of  Greece  as  well 
as  your  particular  interests,  in  alarm  and  dismay  you 
hurried  in  all  your  etfects  from  the  country,  and  the 
deputies  who  had  been  concerned  in  the  embassy  for 
the  peace  were  bitterly  denounced  by  you.  Phi- 
locrates and  Demosthenes  Avere  censured  above  all 
others,  because,  besides  being  of  the  embassy,  they 
had  introduced  the  decrees.  At  this  moment  the 
two  men  were  at  variance,  quarrelling  perhaps  about 
matters  Λvhicll  you  may  readily  suspect.  Seeing  the 
storm  impending,  and  taking  counsel  from  the  innate 
depravity  of  his  heart,  and  filled  with  a  mean  jealousy 
of  Philocrates  in  regard  to  the  wages  of  his  venality, 
Demosthenes  resolv^ed  upon  his  course.     He  thought 


36 


^ESCHINES 


DECREE. 


And  yet  this  gross,  this  abject  flatterer,  Athenians, 
when  he  obtained,  through  the  spies  sent  to  h'nn  by 
Charidemus,  tlie  first  intelligence  of  Philip's  assassi- 
nation, falsely  asserted  that  he  had  not  so  learnt  it 
from  Charidemus,  but  from  the  Gods  themselves  in  a 
vision,  which  he  forged  for  the  occasion.     Yes,  this 
man  who  by  day  outrages  the  divinities  by  his  per- 
jured appeals  to  them,  has,  he  asserts,  communica- 
tions by  night  from  Jupiter   and    from  Athene,  in 
which  they  reveal  to  him  what  is  to  take  place  in  the 
future!     On  the   seventh    day   from   his   daughter's 
death,  before  he  had  even  mourned  for  her,  or  ac- 
complished the  last  rites  of  affection,  he  comes  forth 
in  public,  crowned  with  a  garland  of  flowers,  and  in 
a  white  robe,  and  ofters  up  sacrifices  to  the  Gods  for 
the  deliverance; — the  unnatural  Λvretch  thus  acting 
in  defiance  of  the  laws  of  decency,  the  parent  who 
had  just  lost  her  who  was  the  first  and  only  one  who 
ever  called  him  by  the  name  of  father !     I  wish  not 
to  insult  his  misfortune,  but  I  choose  to  display  his 
real  character.    The  unfeeling  parent,  the  bad  father, 
can  never  become  the  upright  statesman.     He  who 
cherishes  and  loves  not  those  who  are  bound  to  liim 
bv  the  dearest  and  nearest  ties,  will  never  exhibit  a 
stronger  attachment  to  you  who  are  strangers  to  him. 
The  wicked  man  in  private  life  will  never  prove  the 
virtuous  counsellor  towards  the  public; — and  he  who 


t 


ir 


Ψ" 


[76—81.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


37 


is  shewn  to  have  been  heartless  and  worthless  in  his 
own  home  was  never  the  good  and  upright  represen- 
tative of  Athens  in  Aiacedonia  r—he  had  only  changed 
his  country,  not  his  nature. 

Λ^θ  now  approach  the  second  period  to  which  I 
have  referred ;  and  here  we  may  well  ask  how  it  was 
that  while  Philocrates  was  denounced  and  driven  into 
exile  for  the  same  political  acts  which  he  had  com- 
mitted along  with  Demosthenes,  the  latter  stepped 
forth  as  tlie  accuser  of  others,  and,  corrupt  as  he  was, 
was  enabled  to  plunge  us  into  our  present  miseries? 

AVhen  Philip  had   suddenly  passed    Thermopylae, 
and    contrary  to  all   expectation   had    destroyed  the 
cities  of  the  Phocians,  raising  up  the  power  of  the 
Thebans,  as  you   then  thought,  to  a   height  which 
threatened  the  general  advantage  of  Greece  as  well 
as  your  particular  interests,  in  alarm  and  dismay  you 
hurried  in  all  your  eftects  from  the  country,  and  the 
deputies  who  had  been  concerned  in  the  embassy  for 
the   peace  were   bitterly  denounced   by  you.      Phi- 
locrates and  Demosthenes  were  censured  above  all 
others,  because,  besides  being  of  the  embassy,  they 
had  introduced   the  decrees.     At  this  moment  the 
two  men  were  at  variance,  quarrelling  perhaps  about 
matters  which  you  may  readily  suspect.     Seeing  the 
storm  impending,  and  taking  counsel  from  the  innate 
depravity  of  his  heart,  and  filled  with  a  mean  jealousy 
of  Philocrates  in  regard  to  the  wages  of  his  venality, 
Demosthenes  resolved  upon  his  course.     He  thouo-ht 


38 


JESCHINES 


that  if  he  now  appeared  as  the  accuser  of  his  fellow- 
ambassadors,  and  attacked  Philip  himself,  Philoc- 
rates  would  be  lost,  his  colleasfues  in  danirer,  and 
himself  raised  to  the  highest  point  of  esteem  for  thus 
wickedly  betraying  his  friends  under  the  guise  of 
fidelity  to  the  public  cause.  The  factious  and  tur- 
bulent citizens,  seeing  this,  readily  seconded  him  by 
calling  him  to  the  platform,  and  proclaimed  him  as 
the  one  incorruptible  public  man.  He  acquiesced  in 
their  views,  and  thus  furnished  them  with  the  be- 
ginnings of  war  and  confusion.  This  is  the  man, 
Athenians,  who  first  found  out  about  the  stronir 
place  Serrium,  and  Doriscum,  and  Ergiske,  and 
Murgiske,  and  Garros,  and  Ganida,  places  the  very 
names  of  which  were  up  to  this  time  unknown  to  us. 
And  he  carried  matters  to  such  a  point  that  if  Philip 
did  not  send  us  his  ambassadors,  he  said  he  was 
treating  the  City  wnth  disrespect; — if  he  sent  them, 
he  called  them  spies,  not  ambassadors.  Did  Philip 
desire  to  refer  the  decision  of  our  disputes  to  the 
umpirage  of  some  fair  and  impartial  people,  he  as- 
serted none  could  be  found  to  adjudge  equitably  be- 
tween us  and  the  king  of  Macedon.  When  this 
prince  gave  up  Halonesus  to  us,  Demosthenes  for- 
bade us  to  receive  it; — he  should  restore  it,  not  give  it, 
he  said,  thus  disputing  about  terms.  And  finally, 
by  causing  a  crown  to  be  conferred  upon  those  who 
under  the  leadership  of  Aristodemus  had  gone  upon 
the  expedition  to  Thessaly  and  Magnesia  contrary  to 


[81—85.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


39 


Λ 


the  stipulations  of  our  convention,  he  broke  up  the 
peace,  and  dragged  his  country  into  all  the  horrors  of 
war. 

True,  but  he  tells  us  by  the  alliance  of  the  Euboeans 
and  of  the  Thebans  he  has  surrounded  our  country 
Avith  Avails  of  adamant.  But,  men  of  Athens,  in  these 
very  matters,  although  you  w^ere  kept  in  the  most 
profound  ignorance  of  it,  you  have  been  most  grossly 
wronged  in  three  important  particulars.  Anxious  as 
I  am  to  hasten  on  to  speak  of  this  wonderful  alliance 
with  the  Thebans,  I  must  begin,  that  I  may  proceed 
in  due  order,  with  the  Euboeans. 

You  had  been  treated  w^ith  great  injustice  on  many 
occasions  not  only  originally  by  Mnesarchus  of  Chal- 
cis  the  father  of  Callias  and  Taurosthenes,  the  two 
men  whom  Demosthenes  has  now  dared  for  a  bribe 
to  enroll  among  our  citizens,  but  more  recently  by 
Themison  the  Eretrian,  who  in  time  of  peace  robbed 
us  of  Oropus.  Nevertheless  when  the  Thebans  in 
their  descent  upon  the  island  successfully  attempted 
to  reduce  their  cities  to  subjection,  forgetting  your 
former  Avrongs  you  came  willingly  to  their  assistance, 
and  in  five  days  relieved  them  w^ith  your  fleet  and 
with  an  army;  and  before  thirty  days  had  passed 
having  become  masters  of  Eubcea  you  forced  the 
Thebans  to  capitulate  and  retire.  From  a  sense  of 
honor  and  equity  you  restored  the  captured  cities  and 
their  governments  to  those  who  had  confided  in  you, 
thinking  it  to  be  beneath  your  character  for  justice 


40 


.ESCHINES 


to  recall  your  animosity  against  a  people  ΛνΗο  had 
relied  upon  your  good  fixith. 

For  these  enormous  benefits  the  Chalcidians  made 
you  a  poor  requital.  AVhen  you  returned  to  Euba^a 
to  assist  Plutarch,  they  at  first  pretended  to  he  your 
friends ;  but  scarcely  had  you  arrived  at  Tamynae, 
after  passing  Mount  Cotylus,  than  this  same  Callias 
whom  Demosthenes  had  been  hired  to  eulogize,  see- 
ing our  army  entangled  in  the  defiles, — with  no 
chance  of  retreat  except  through  victory, — without 
hope  of  succor  either  by  land  or  by  sea, — gathered 
together  an  army  throughout  EuboDa  Avhich  he  re- 
inforced by  troops  from  Philip.  At  the  same  time 
Taurosthenes,  who  now  extends  to  all  of  us  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  with  a  gracious  smile,  collected  his 
Phocian  mercenaries,  and  uniting  with  his  brother, 
both  advanced  tosrether  ao^ainst  us  for  our  destruc- 
tion.  Had  not  some  benignant  deity  intervened  in 
your  behalf,  and  had  not  your  soldiers,  both  foot  and 
horse,  performed  prodigies  of  valor,  thus  enabling 
you  to  gain  a  pitched  battle  at  Tamyna^  near  the 
hippodrome,  where  you  routed  and  received  the  sur- 
render of  the  enemy,  the  State  had  been  in  imminent 
dansrer  of  a  most  dishonorable  defeat.  For  ill-sue- 
cess  in  w^ar  is  by  no  means  the  greatest  disaster 
which  can  happen ;  the  defeat  is  double  which  is  sus- 
tained in  a  conflict  with  an  unworthy  foe. — But  in 
spite  of  all  this  ill-treatment  from  them,  you  were 
again  reconciled  to  the  Euboeans. 


[85—91.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


41 


Callias,  who  had  obtained  your  pardon,  soon  re- 
lapsed into  his  original  nature.     Aspiring  to  a  dis- 
tiniruished  tvranny,  he  assembled  in  form  a  general 
council  of  Euboea  at  Chalcis,  with  the  real  design  of 
uniting  the  whole  island  against  you;  and  in  the  hope 
of  making  Philip  an  instrument  of  this  movement, 
he  visited  Macedon.     There  he  followed  that  prince 
up  and  down  the  country,  and  ranged  himself  in  the 
body  of  his  courtiers ;  but  having  ofiended  him  he 
was  obliged  to  fly  his  kingdom,  and  he  then  oflered 
himself  to  the  Tliebans.     He  soon  abandoned  them 
also,  and  after  exhibiting   more  windings  than  the 
Euripus  on  the  banks  of  which  he  dw^elt,  he  found 
himself  involved  in  the  enmity  of  both  the  Thebans 
and   of  Philip.     In   this    embarrassment,    uncertain 
whither  to  turn,  and    an    expedition  being  already 
announced   against   him,  he   saw  his   only  hope  of 
safety  in  persuading  the  Athenians  to  become  his 
allies,  and  to   pledge   tliemselves   to   his   assistance 
should  he  be  attacked,  which  was  clearly  manifest 
unless  you  interfered  to  prevent  it. 

Such  being  his  resolve,  he  sent  hither  his  deputies 
Glauketes,  Empedon,  and  that  famous  runner  Diodo- 
rus,  to  bear  empty  promises  to  the  people,  but  full 
purses  to  Demosthenes  and  his  fellows.  He  pur- 
chased through  them  three  separate  advantages  at 
the  same  time.  First,  that  he  should  not  fail  in 
securing  your  alliance;  for  should  you  in  the  remem- 
brance of  his  former  misdeeds  refuse  it,  no  middle 


42 


JESCHINES 


course  was  open  to  him ; — he  must  either  flee  from 
Chalcis,  or  be  captured  and  probably  put  to  deatli,  so 
great  were  the  forces  of  Philip  and  of  the  Thebans 
which  were  arra^^ed  against  liim.     Next,  he  offered 
his  money  freely  to  him  Λνΐιο  after  obtaining  for  him 
the  alliance  should  get  the  City  to  dispense  with  the 
necessity  of  the  Chalcidians  attending  the  convention 
which  was  to  sit  at  Athens.     Lastly,  that  the  Chal- 
cidians should  be   relieved   from   all    contributions. 
Callias  succeeded  in  all  these  projects.     For  Demos- 
thenes the  tyrant-hater,  as  he  now  pretends  to  be, 
and  who  Ctesiplion  asserts  has  ever  counselled  best 
for  the  City,  abandoned  all  her  interests,  and  obtained 
the  makinii  C)f  an  alliance  bv  which  we  eniraired  to 
come  to  the  relief  of  the  Chalcidians,  getting  in  ex- 
change for  our  services  the  euphemistic  statement 
that  in  case  we  should  ever  be  attacked  by  any  one, 
we  should  be  aided  in  turn  by  them.     lie  however 
surrendered  altogether  the  sending  hither  of  deputies 
to  a  conmion  assemblv,  as  well  as  the  furnishiiiir  of 
the  sinews  of  war  in  the  shape  of  contributions;  and 
dignifying  his  abominable  conduct  Avith  fine  phrases, 
he  persuaded   you  that  the   City  should   first   sewd 
assistance  to  those  Greeks  who  needed  it,  and  not 
concern  itself  about  alliances   until  after  they  had 
been   saved.      That  you   may   be   convinced  of  the 
truth  of  my  statements,  let  the  decree  of  Callias  and 
the  alliance  be  now  read. 


[91—%.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


43 


DECREE. 

Disirraceful  however  as  \vas  this  sale  by  Demos- 
thenes  of  these  splendid  opportunities  of  the  City, 
this  al)andonment  of  the  Assemblies  and  of  all  con- 
tributions to  her,  what  I  am  about  to  relate  will 
strike  you  as  still  more  monstrous.  Callias  the  Chal- 
cidian  had  now  reached  this  height  of  effrontery  and 
greed,  and  Demosthenes  the  hero  of  Ctesiphon's 
panegyrics  sustained  him  in  it  by  his  venality,  that 
in  your  presence  and  under  your  very  eyes,  they 
snatched  from  you  the  contributions  of  Oreum  and 
Eretria,  amounting  to  ten  talents,  and  after  having 
excused  tlie  deputies  of  those  cities  from  coming  to 
Athens,  they  reconvoked  them  at  Chalcis  at  a  so- 
called  Eubcean  Assembly.  It  is  well  worth  hearing 
how  and   by  what   misfeasances  they  accomplished 

this  purpose. 

No  longer  sendins:  hither  his  emissaries,  Callias 
now  presented  himself  in  person  in  our  Assembly, 
and  harangued  us  in  a  speech  prepared  for  him  by 
Demosthenes.  He  told  us  he  had  just  arrived  from 
Peloponnesus  where  he  had  obtained  an  imposition 
for  a  fund  of  one  hundred  talents  to  be  used  against 
Philip,  and  he  specified  the  sums  to  be  contributed 
by  each  people.  The  Acheeans  and  Megarians  were 
to  supply  sixty  talents  and  the  cities  of  Euboea  forty, 
by  means  of  which  a  naval  and  a  land  armament 
were   to   be   secured.      Many  of  the    other  Greeks 


I 


44 


JESCHINES 


Λνοιι1(1  swell  this  contribution,  so  that  neither  money 
nor  troops  would  fail.  All  this  was  plain  enough, 
he  said,  but  there  were  secret  negotiations  to  be 
entered  into  to  Λvhich  some  of  your  citizens  were 
privy ;  and  he  wound  up  by  calling  upon  Demos- 
thenes to  vouch  for  the  truth  of  his  assertions. 

Demosthenes  coming  forward  with  an  imjiortant 
air,  began  by  praising  Callias,  and  pretending  to  be 
in  the  secret;  but  he  desired  first,  he  said,  to  give 
you  an  account  of  his  mission  to  the  Peloponnesus 
and  to  Acarnania.  The  substance  of  his  statement 
w^as  that  all  the  Peloponnesians  and  Acarnanians 
had  been  induced  by  him  to  contribute  to  the  war 
against  Philip;  the  subsidies  Λvould  provide  for  one 
hundred  swift-sailing  vessels,  ten  thousand  foot  sol- 
diers, and  one  thousand  horse ;  and  over  and  above 
this,  Peloponnesus  and  Acarnania  would  each  supply 
more  than  two  thousand  heavy-armed  troops,  and 
the  command  of  the  whole  would  be  conferred  by 
them  upon  you.  The  execution  of  this  project  was 
not  to  be  delaved  bevond  the  sixteenth  of  the  month 
Anthesterion,  for  he  had  concerted,  in  these  cities, 
for  a  general  rendezvous  at  Athens  on  the  day  of  the 
full  moon. — This  man  has  in  fact  a  wonderful  way 
of  his  own.  Other  impostors  when  they  intend  to 
deceive  deal  in  vague  and  ambiguous  generalities,  in 
the  fear  of  being  called  upon  for  proofs.  But  De- 
mosthenes when  he  goes  about  to  trick,  first  sol- 
emnly swears  to  the   falsehood,  calling  down    ruin 


[96—101.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


45 


»"^ 


upon  his  head  Avith  imprecations  in  case  he  forswears 
himself,  and  then  confidently  states  propositions 
Λvhich  he  well  knows  can  never  be  performed,  and 
gives  the  names  of  persons  whom  he  has  never  seen, 
amusing  his  audience  by  a  well-feigned  imitation  of 
a  truthful  man.  And  for  this  especially  is  it  that 
he  should  be  held  in  detestation  by  you,  for  he 
cheats  and  corrupts  with  all  the  semblance  of  honesty 

itself. — 

Having  said  all  this,  Demosthenes  hands  the  clerk 
to  read  a  decree  longer  than  the  Iliad,  emptier  than 
his   own   harangues   and  his   own   hollow  life,  and 
stuflfed  with  hopes  doomed  to  be  disappointed,  and 
with  armies  never  to  be  levied.     Having  thus  di- 
verted your  attention   from   his   knavery,  and  kept 
you  in  suspense  by  these  false  hopes,  he  collects  all 
his  forces  for  his  purpose,  and  Λvrites  the  decree  for 
the  choice  of  deputies  to  Eretria  who  are  to  beseech 
the  Eretrians  (they  must  now  indeed  be  besought) 
to  pay  their  contribution  of  five  talents  not  to  you 
but  to  Callias.    At  the  same  time  other  deputies  were 
chosen  to  Oreum  who  were  to  beg  that  people  to  re- 
gard as  friends  and  enemies  the  friends  and  enemies 
of  Athens.     Then  the  whole  trick  was  consummated 
by  his  causing  it  to  be  written  in  the  decree,  that  the 
deputies  should  further  ask  the  people  of  Oreum  to 
pay  their  five  talents  to  Callias,  not  to  you.     That  all 
this  may  be  manifest,  take  here   the  decree  itself, 
strip  it  of  all  the  pomp  and  imposture  of  armies  and 


46 


JESCHINES 


galleys,  and  come  to  the  very  point  of  the  fraudulent 
advantage  which  this  impure,  this  profane  wretch 
was  here  secretly  appropriating  to  liimself: — the 
man  who  Ctesiphon  declares  hy  his  decree  has  per- 
severed in  serving  for  the  best  the  people  of  Athens 
both  by  word  and  deed. 

DECREE. 

You  thus  got  fine  words  about  galleys,  armies, 
the  full  moon,  and  general  assemblies,  but  in  deed 
and  in  fact  you  lost  the  contributions  of  the  allies 
and  ten  talents. 

It  remains  for  me  to  tell  you  why  it  was  that 
Demosthenes  wrote  this  decree,  and  how  he  got  a 
bribe  of  three  talents  for  doing  so, — one  from  Chalcis 
through  Callias,  another  from  Eretria  through  their 
king  Clitarchus,  and  the  remaining  one  from  Oreum. 
The  bargain  was  found  out  in  this  way.  Oreum  was 
a  democracy,  and  all  its  public  matters  were  trans- 
acted through  decrees.  The  people  had  been  much 
exhausted  in  their  war  with  Philip,  and  left  almost 
without  resources.  They  therefore  sent  Gnosidemus 
son  of  Charigenes  their  old  ruler  to  Demosthenes  to 
beg  him  to  remit  the  payment  of  this  talent,  ottering 
at  the  same  time  to  erect  his  statue  in  brass  in  their 
city.  Demosthenes  replied  to  him  that  he  had  no 
need  of^the  smallest  piece  of  brass,  and  that  he  would 
procure  payment  of  his  talent  through  Callias.  The 
Oreans  thus  driven  to  close  quarters,  and  being  with- 


[101—107.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


47 


out  money,  were  obliged  to  hypothecate  their  public 
revenues  to  Demosthenes  as  a  security  for  the  talent, 
and  paid  him  as  interest  upon  the  price  of  his  venality 
at  the  rate  of  a  drachma  a  month  for  a  mina,  until 
they  had  discharged  the  principal.  And  this  Avas  all 
done  by  a  decree  of  the  people.  Take  it  and  read  it 
in  proof  of  my  statement. 

DECREE. 

This  decree  is  at  the  same  time  dishonorable  to 
our  City,  a  strong  proof  of  the  character  of  Demos- 
thenes's  political  acts,  and  a  conclusive  accusation 
of  Ctesiphon.  It  is  impossible  that  the  recipient  of 
such  degrading  bribes  can  be  the  exemplary  citizen 
which  this  man  has  dared  to  call  him  in  his  decree. 

I  come  now  to  the  third  period  to  Λvhich  I  have 
referred,  a  period  the  most  disastrous  of  all,  in  which 
Demosthenes  whelmed  in  a  common  ruin  the  affairs 
of  our  own  State  and  of  all  Greece  by  his  impiety 
towards  the  Delphian  temple,  and  by  the  iniquitous 
and  unfair  alliance  he  brought  about  with  Thebes. 
I  shall  begin  with  his  sacrilegious  acts  to  the  Gods. 

There  is  a  plain,  Athenians,  called  Kirrha,  and 
a  post  now  termed  infamous  and  accursed.  This 
country  was  formerly  inhabited  by  the  Kirrhseans 
and  Acragallidse,  a  people  regardless  of  law,  who 
profaned  the  temple  of  Delphi,  plundered  the  sacred 
off^erings  to  it,  and  even  insulted  the  Amphictyons. 
Our  ancestors  in  particular,  as  tradition  reports,  and 


t^ 


48 


^SCHINES 


then  the  other  Ampliictyous,  indignant  at  tliese  out- 
rages, consulted  the  oracle  to  learn  from  the  divinity 
in  what  way  they  should  punish  these  guilty  men. 
The  response  was,  to  make  incessant  war  upon  them, 
to  ravage  their  country,  and,  after  suhduing  and  en- 
slaving the  inhahitants,  to  consecrate  the  ground  to 
the  Pythian  Apollo,  to  Artemis,  to  Latona,  and  to 
Athene  the  Provident,  and  to  leave  it  unworked  for- 
ever, neither  cultivating  it  themselves  nor  permitting 
it  to  he  done  hy  others.     AVhen  this  response  was 
received,  the  Amphictyons,  acting  under  the  advice 
of  Solon  that  eminent  law-giver  distinguished  alike 
as  a  poet  and  philosopher,  resolved  to  march  against 
those  accursed  men  in  fulfilment  of  the  oracle  of  the 
God;  and  having  assemhled  a  sufiicient  force,  they 
conquered   and   enslaved   the   inhahitants,  filled   up 
their  harhors,  razed  their  cities  to  the  ground,  and 
consecrated  the  territory  in  ohedience  to  the  oracle. 
Furthermore  they  ohliged  themselves  hy  oath  never 
to  cultivate  the  soil,  nor  to  permit  others  to  do  it,  hut 
to  defend  the  city  and  to  preserve  the  ground  unpro- 
faned,  with  all  tlieir  strength  and  might.     Nor  were 
they  content  with  simply  swearing  this  oath,  hut  they 
further  hound  themselves   hy  maledictions  and   im- 
precations upon  themselves  should  they  ever  violate 
it.     For  it  Λvas  thus  set  forth  in  this  terrihle  fornmla, 
"that   if  any  city,  people,  or  private   person,  shall 
transgress  this  oath,  let  them    be   held    accursed  of 
Apollo,  of  Artemis,  of  Latona,  and  of  Athene  the 


,••  Λ 


[107—114.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


4% 


Provident !  Let  not  the  earth  yield  to  them  itsiruits, 
nor  let  their  wives  bring  forth  children  like  unto 
their  parents,  but  unseemly  monsters ;  let  not  their 
flocks  and  herds  give  increase  in  the  order  of  nature; 
let  their  people  ever  fail  in  war,  and  in  their  civil 
controversies  and  in  trade ;  and  may  they  be  utterly 
destroyed,  they,  their  households,  and  their  children. 
And  finally,  may  their  offerings  never  be  accept- 
able nor  received  by  Artemis,  Latona,  or  the  wise 
Athene !" 

In  proof  of  this  let  the  oracle  be  ηοΛν  read.  Listen 
to  the  imprecations,  and  recall  the  oaths  sworn  by 
vour  ancestors  in  common  with  the  Amphictyons. 

ORACLE. 

"  The  city's  towers  ne'er  taken  shall  not  fail, 
Till  dark-eyed  Amphitrite  with  her  waves 
Shall  bathe  the  sacred  fields  with  hollow  moan." 

OATHS— IMPRECATIONS. 

In  spite  of  these  imprecations,  these  oaths,  this 
oracle,  yet  engraven  in  the  sacred  archives,  the  Lo- 
crians  of  Amphissa,  or  rather  their  chiefs,  wickedest 
and  most  disloyal  of  men,  entered  upon  the  sacred 
})lain,  cultivated  it,  relniilt  and  occupied  the  accursed 
port,  exacted  imposts  from  those  who  visited  it,  and 
corrupted  with  bribes'  many  of  the  deputies  who 
were  sent  to  Delphi,  Demosthenes  among  the  rest. 
For  having  been  elected  a  deputy  by  you,  he  received 
a  thousand  drachmas  from  the  Amphissians  to  keep 

6 


50 


jESCHINES 


silence  in  regard  to  them  in  the  Council  of  the 
Amphictyons.  And  it  was  furtlier  agreed  that  for 
the  future  twenty  minne  should  be  sent  every  year  to 
him  at  Athens  out  of  their  sacrilegious  funds,  upon 
condition  that  he  should  assist  them  there  witli  all 
his  strength.  AVhence  it  occurred,  even  more  than 
theretofore,  that  every  one  who  was  handled  by  him 
— individual,  prince  or  commonwealth — became  in- 
volved in  irremediable  evils. 

But  consider  here,  men  of  Athens,  how  the  Di- 
vinity and  Fortune  were  superior  to  the  impiety  of 
the  Amphissians.     In  the  archonship  of  Theophras- 
tus  and  in  the  presbytership  of  Diognetus  the  Ana- 
phlystian,  you  chose  as  deputies  Midias  of  Anagyrus, 
(who  for  many  reasons  I  could  wish  were  now  living,) 
Thrasycles  of  Olus,  and  myself.     AVhen  we  reached 
Delphi  it  so  chanced  that  Diognetus  tlie  presbyter 
was  taken  ill  of  a  fever,  and  Midias  along  with  him. 
The  Amphictyons  were  then  in  session ;  and  we  were 
informed  bv  some  of  our  well-wishers  that  the  Am- 
phissians,  who  were  crouching  under  the  rule  of  the 
Thebans  and  altogether  subservient  to  them,  had  in- 
troduced a  decree  against  our  City  by  which  it  was 
proposed  to  mulct  us  in  a  fine   of  fifty  talents  for 
having  suspended  in  the  new  temple  before  its  con- 
secration, golden  shields  with  this  true  inscription 
upon   them  : — "  taken   by  the   Athenians   from   the 
Persians   and   Thebans  when   they  fought  together 
against  the  Greeks."     I  was  requested  by  our  pres- 


. 


[114—119.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHON. 


51 


byter  to  repair  to  the  Assembly  and  to  speak  on 
behalf  of  the  City  before  the  Amphictyons,  and  I 
had  proposed  the  same  thing  to  myself.  My  fellow- 
deputies  being  absent,  I  entered  the  Assembly  with 
some  degree  of  warmth  and  began  to  speak.  Im- 
mediately an  insolent,  and,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  an 
illiterate  fellow  from  among  the  Amphissians,  per- 
haps urged  on  by  some  unpropitious  deity  to  commit 
the  outrage,  cried  out,  "  Men  of  Greece,  if  you  are 
wise,  let  not  even  the  name  of  the  Athenian  people 
be  uttered  here  at  this  time,  but  drive  them  from 
the  temple  as  execrable."  And  he  forthwith  recalled 
our  alliance  with  the  Phocians  which  had  been  pro- 
posed by  Crobylus,  and  ran  over  many  other  inde- 
cent charges  against  the  City,  which  I  had  neither 
patience  to  listen  to  then,  nor  have  satisfaction  in 
recounting  now. 

I  heard  him  with  a  spirit  of  indignation  such  as  I 
had  never  before  felt,  and  rose  to  reply.  AVhat  I  said 
in  answer  to  him  I  shall  pass  over,  with  a  single  ex- 
ception. But  in  concluding  it  came  into  my  head  to 
speak  of  the  impiety  of  the  Amphissians  in  regard  to 
the  sacred  territory.  From  the  place  where  I  stood 
I  pointed  to  the  Kirrhsean  plain  ; — it  lies,  you  know, 
almost  under  the  temple,  and  can  be  readily  seen  from 
it. — "  Look,"  I  exclaimed,  ''Amphictyons,  look  upon 
this  plain  now  cultivated  by  the  Amphissians,  behold 
their  ftictories  and  their  workshops  built  all  over  it. 
You  see  with  your  own  eyes  that  infamous  and  ac- 


52 


^SCHINES 


cursed  harbor  entirely  reconstructed.     You  know  of 
your  own  knowledge,  and  need  no  other  witnesses, 
that  they  have  levied  imposts  for  its  use,  and  are  now 
receiving  money  from  this  sacred  port."     And  at  the 
same  time  I  ordered  to  be  read  to  them  the  oracle  of 
the  God,  the  oath  of  their  ancestors,  and  the  impre- 
cations pronounced  by  them ;  and  I  afhrmed  that  on 
behalf  of  the  people  of  Athens,  myself,  my  children, 
and  my  household,  I  would  according  to  the  oath 
assist  the  God,  and  the  consecrated  ground,  by  hand 
and  foot  and  voice,  and  with  my  whole  strength,  until 
I  had  acquitted  my  country  of  her  duty  to  the  Gods. 
'*Do  you,"  I  thus  proceeded,  ''see  to  it  as  to  your- 
selves.    The  sacred  panniers  are  now  being  elevated, 
the  victims  are  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  and  you  are 
about  to  ask  of  the   Gods  blessings  for  yourselves, 
and  for  your  common   country.     With  what  voice, 
with  what  spirit,  with  what  eyes,  with  what  assurance, 
shall  you  address  to  them  your  prayers,  while  you 
still  leave  these  wicked  wretches  unpunished  who  are 
involved  in  this  anathema?     The  imprecation  is  ex- 
press, not  Avritten  in  enigmas,  but  in  words  of  light 
both  as  to  the  punishment  w^hich  awaits  these  impious 
men,  and  you  yourselves  who  are  passively  upholding 
them  in  their  crimes.     This  is  its  language :  '  Those 
who  abstain  from  punisliing  these  men,  can  neither 
make  acceptable  sacrifice  to  Apollo,  to  Artemis,  to 
Latona,  or  to  Athene  the  Provident,  nor  shall  their 
offerings  be  received.'" 


[119—124.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


53 


After  I  had  thus  spoken  and  much  more  to  the 
same  purpose,  I  quitted  the  Assembly  and  went  out. 
Inmiediately  a  great  cry  arose  and  the  excitement 
was  great  among  the  Amphictyons.  Their  talk  was 
no  lonirer  about  the  shields  which  had  been  hung  up 
by  us,  but  about  punishing  the  Amphissians.  The 
day  Λvas  already  far  spent,  and  the  herald  came  for- 
ward and  proclaimed  that  the  men  of  Delphi  who 
were  of  the  age  of  twenty  and  upwards,  Λvhether  free 
or  bond,  should  assemble  on  the  morrow  at  the  break 
of  day,  with  sfcythes  and  spades,  at  a  place  called 
Tytheum.  And  the  same  herald  announced  that  the 
presbyters  and  deputies  should  meet  in  the  same 
place  in  order  to  give  assistance  to  the  God  and  the 
sacred  plain;  and  any  city  Avhich  absented  itself 
should  be  excluded  from  the  temple,  held  accursed, 
and  involved  in  the  imprecation. 

The  next  day  at  dawn  Ave  came  together  at  the  ap- 
pointed spot,  and  descending  to  the  Kirrhsean  plain, 
destroyed  the  port  and  burnt  the  houses,  and  were 
about  to  retire.  But  whilst  we  were  thus  engaged, 
the  Locrians  of  Amphissa,  who  dwelt  at  the  distance 
of  about  sixty  stadia  from  Delphi,  came  against  us 
with  their  whole  people  in  arms,  and  w^e  were  in 
danger  of  beins:  cut  off  had  we  not  escaped  with 
difficulty  by  flight  to  Delphi. 

On  the  day  following,  Cottyphus,  who  was  charged 
with  the  duty  of  collecting  the  votes,  convoked  a 
General  Assembly  of  the  Amphictyons.    It  was  styled 


54 


iESCHINES 


a  General  Assembly  when  it  consisted  not  only  of 
the  deputies  and  presbyters,  but  of  those  who  came 
thither  to  sacrifice  to  and  consult  the  God.  At  its 
convocation  numerous  accusations  were  preferred 
against  the  Amphissians,  and  great  praise  was  given 
to  our  City.  As  a  result  of  their  deliberations,  it  was 
decreed  that  the  presbyters  should  come  to  Ther- 
mopylae at  a  designated  day,  in  advance  of  the  next 
Assembly,  armed  with  a  decree  by  virtue  of  which 
the  Amphissians  should  be  punished  for  the  acts  ot 
impiety  they  had  committed  against  the  God,  the 
sacred  territory  and  the  Amphictyons.  The  clerk 
will  now  read  this  decree  to  corroborate  my  state- 
ments. 

DECREE. 

This  decree  having  been  presented  by  us  upon  our 
return  to  the  Senate,  and  again  to  the  people  in  the 
Assembly,  our  action  was  ratihed  and  the  whole  City 
was  on  the  side  of  the  God.  Demosthenes  never- 
theless by  reason  of  the  pay  he  had  received  from 
the  Amphissians  resolved  to  oppose  it,  but  I  over- 
came him  plainly  in  your  presence.  Finding  that  he 
could  not  deceive  the  City,  as  the  evidence  was  too 
plain,  he  came  into  the  Senate,  and  having  caused  all 
private  citizens  to  retire  he  brought  into  the  Assem- 
bly a  preliminary  decree  which  he  had  had  passed 
through  the  inexperience  of  the  mover.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  the  passage  of  this  decree  by 
the  people  in  the  Assembly,  although  it  had  already 


I 


L 


1 


[124—128.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


55 


risen,  and  most  of  the  members  had  left,  I  myself 
among  the  rest,  or  I  would  never  have  permitted  it. 
Its  summary  is  as  follows :  "  The  Athenian  presby- 
ter and  the  present  and  future  deputies  shall  report 
themselves  at  Thermopylae  and  Delphi  at  the  time 
designated  by  our  ancestors."— Fair  enough  in  form, 
but  scandalous  in  fact,  this  decree  prevented  our  join- 
ing the  convocation  which  was  necessarily  to  be  con- 
vened at  Thermopyhe  before  the  regular  Assembly 
should  meet.— And  moreover  he  had  inserted  in  the 
same  decree  another  article  still  plainer  and  more 
pointed,  as  follows :—"  The  Athenian  presbyter  and 
deputies  present  and  future  shall  in  no  wise  partici- 
pate either  in  the  deliberations,  conduct,  or  decrees 
of  the  deputies  in  any  way  whatsoever."— In  no  wise 
participate  ?— Shall  I  speak  truth  as  to  this  clause, 
or  shall  I  only  utter  what  is  pleasant  to  listen  to  ?— I 
shall  speak  out  the  truth !     It  is  these  honey-tongued 
utterances  which  have  brought  the  City  to  her  pres- 
ent  condition !— This  language  meant  that  we  were 
to  be  permitted  to  remember  neither  the  oaths  sworn 
by  our   ancestors,  the  imprecations  pronounced  by 
them,  nor  the  oracle  of  the  God. 

In  consequence  of  this  decree,  men  of  Athens,  we 
remained  at  home,  while  the  other  Amphictyons  re-  .^^.. 
assembled  at  Thermopylie  with  the  exception  of  a  ^  1 
single  city  whose  name  I  cannot  mention ;— may  her 
misfortunes  be  kept  for  away  from  the  other  Greeks ! 
And  it  was  resolved  at  this  meeting  that  an  expedi- 


56 


JESCHINES 


tion  slioiikl  be  undertaken  against  the  Amphissians, 
and  the  same  Cottyphus  the  Pharsalian  who  had  col- 
lected the  votes  of  the  Assembly  was  chosen  gen- 
eral. Philip,  whom  Demosthenes  will  soon  dare  to 
assert  I  brought  down  against  the  Greeks,  was  not 
then  in  Macedonia,  nor  even  in  Greece,  but  absent 
far  away  in  Scythia.  In  this  first  expedition  great 
moderation  was  shewn  towards  the  Amphissians,  for 
they  were  simply  punished  for  their  great  misdeeds 
bv  a  fine  which  was  directed  to  be  paid  to  the  God 
by  a  certain  day ;  the  accursed  authors  of  the  out- 
rages were  banished,  and  those  who  had  quitted  the 
country  in  consequence  of  the  sacrilege  were  restored 
to  it.  AVhen  indeed  the  Amphissians  refused  to  dis- 
charire  the  fine,  broudit  back  the  criminals,,  and 
expelled  the  pious  citizens  who  had  been  recalled,  a 
second  armament  was  organized  against  them.  But 
this  was  a  long  time  afterwards,  upon  Philip's  return 
from  his  expedition  against  the  Scythians,  when  the 
venality  of  Demosthenes  had  proved  the  obstacle  to 
our  obtainino;  the  command  of  the  sacred  war  which 
the  immortal  Gods  had  conmiitted  to  us. 

Did  not,  Athenians,  did  not  the  Gods  forewarn  us, 
did  they  not  declare  to  us  almost  with  the  signifi- 
cance of  a  human  utterance,  to  be  upon  our  guard 
against  the  impending  danger?  ^ever  have  I  known 
a  State  more  completely  under  the  protection  of  the 
Gods,  never  have  I  seen  one  more  completely  ruined 
by  certain  of  its  public  men!     The  prodigies  which 


[128—132.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


57 


4fi 


I 


i 


accompanied  the  mysteries,  the  death  of  the  newly 
initiated,  should  not  all  this  have  been  sufficient  to 
excite  our  apprehensions?  Did  not  Aminiades  warn 
us  of  our  danger,  and  beg  us  to  send  persons  to  Del- 
phi to  interrogate  the  divinity  and  ascertain  from 
liim  what  was  to  be  done?  AVas  not  all  this  opposed 
by  Demosthenes,  who,  brutally  misusing  the  license 
vou  had  accorded  to  him,  even  declared  that  the 
oracle  was  philippizing?  And  when  the  consumma- 
tion was  at  hand  and  the  sacrifices  Λvere  unpropitious 
and  unacceptable  to  the  Gods,  did  he  not  send  out 
our  soldiers  to  certain  peril?  Yes,  this  very  man 
who  recently  dared  to  assert  that  Philip  had  not  en- 
tered our  territory  because  the  sacrifices  w^ere  un- 
favorable to  him ! — What  punishment  do  you  not 
merit,  scourge  of  all  Greece  ? — If  the  conqueror  was 
deterred  from  marching  into  the  conquered  country 
because  the  auguries  forbade  it,  and  if  in  absolute 
ignorance  of  futurity  without  one  happy  omen  you 
sent  forward  our  soldiers  to  a  certain  doom,  do  j^ou 
deserve  to  be  now  honored  with  a  crown  for  the  ruin 
you  have  brought  upon  the  State,  or  to  be  forever 
banished  from  it  ? 

Truly,  Athenians,  Λvhat  unexpected,  what  unfore- 
seen events  have  occurred  in  our  day !  Λ¥β  have  not 
lived  the  ordinary  life  of  mortals,  but  we  have  been 
born  to  be  the  wonder  of  posterity.  The  Persian 
King,  the  mighty  monarch  who  cut  through  Blount 
Athos,  who  chained  the  Hellespont,  who  demanded 


58 


^SCHINES 


of  the  Greeks  earth  and  water,  who  dared  to  write 
that  he  was  master  of  all  nations  from  the  rising  to 
the  setting  sun,  is  he  not  now  contending  not  for  the 
mastery  of  others,  hut  for  his  own  personal  existence  ? 
And  have  we  not  seen  the  very  men  who  delivered 
the  temple  of  Delphi  judged  worthy  of  the  glory  of 
the  command  against  the  Persian?     And  Thehes  our 
neidiborinii  eitv,  has  not  Thebes  been  swept  in  a 
single  day  from  the  face  of  Greece?     And  if  not 
unjustly,  because  they  managed  their  affairs  impru- 
dently and  stupidly,  still   they  seem  rather  to  have 
been    struck  with  judicial   blindness,  than  to  have 
shewn  mere  human  ignorance  and  folly.     And  the 
unhappy  Lacedemonians  Λνΐιο  interfered  but  slightly 
in  the  beginning  in  the  attack  upon  the  temple,  the 
people  who   formerly  aspired  to  be  the  leaders  of 
Greece,  are  now  compelled  to  send  hostages  to  Alex- 
ander, and  to  display  their  misery  before  the  whole 
world,  reduced  to  suffer  for  themselves  and  country 
what  the  pleasure  of  the  conqueror  may  inflict,  and  to 
expect  that  moderation  which  an  enemy  who  has  re- 
ceived the  first  offence  nuiy  choose  to  shew  them. 
And  our  own  City,  heretofore  the  common  refuge 
of  all  Greeks,  to  whom  in   former  days  embassies 
from  every  State  in  Greece  were  wont  to  come  to 
claim  our  protection,  no  longer  now  contends  for 
empire,  but  for  her  own  soil. 

And  this  has  all  been  brought  to  pass  since  Demos- 
thenes began  to  intervene  in  public  affairs.      AVell 


[132— 137.J 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


59 


1 


does  the  poet  Hesiod  express  himself  upon  this  sub- 
ject, when  he  seeks  to  instruct  the  people,  and  to 
counsel  republics  to  shut  their  ears  to  the  advances 
of  designing  demagogues.  I  will  repeat  his  verses : 
for  doubtless  we  were  taught  in  childhood  to  commit 
to  memory  these  noble  sentences  of  the  poets,  that 
we  might  store  them  up  for  use  in  our  mature  age : 


(( 


Oft  do  whole  nations  pay  the  guilt  of  one 
Who  by  his  crimes  insults  an  angry  heaven  ! 
Famine  and  plague,  twin  ministers  of  wrath, 
Great  Saturn's  son  sends  forth :  armies  perish, 
Towers  and  strongholds  fall,  and  mighty  fleets 
Are  swept  away,  in  witne.ss  of  Jove's  ire." 


Take  away  Hesiod's  metre,  and  consider  only  the 
thoughts  to  which  he  gave  expression,  and  you  shall 
no  longer  regard  it  as  the  language  of  poetry,  but  as 
an  oracle  pointed  at  the  administration  of  Demos- 
thenes : — an  army,  a  naval  expedition,  many  cities, 
have  been  in  fact  all  annihilated  through  this  man's 
policy. 

I  think  indeed  that  neither  Phrynondas,  nor  Eu- 
rybatus,  nor  any  other  of  the  traitors  of  old,  was  ever 
such  a  charlatan  and  impostor  as  this  fellow.  He 
dares  indeed,  (I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness,  and 
ye  divinities  and  all  men  who  wish  to  hear  the  truth !) 
he  dares  to  look  you  in  the  face,  and  to  assert  that  the 
Thebans  entered  into  the  alliance  with  you,  not  driven 
to  it  by  the  force  of  circumstances,  by  stress  of  the 


60 


^ESCHINES 


fear  in  which  they  found  themselves,  not  by  reason 
of  your  own  glory,  but  in  consequence  of  the  ha- 
rangues of  Demosthenes  !  And  yet  before  his  time, 
those  who  were  best  inclined  to  the  Thebans  went 
many  times  as  ambassadors  to  Thebes  without  sue- 
cess ;  first  of  all  Thrasybulus  of  Collytta,  a  man  hon- 
ored with  their  entire  confidence, — then  Thraso  their 
patron  in  our  City,  Leodamas  the  Acharnian  whose 
eloquence  was  not  inferior  to  that  of  Demosthenes 
and  to  me  at  least  a  much  more  pleasing  speaker, 
Archidemus  another  eloquent  man  whose  regard  for 
the  Thebans  had  exposed  him  to  many  dangers  dur- 
ing his  administration,  Aristophon  the  Azenian  who 
labored  for  a  long  time  under  the  imputation  of  The- 
banizing,  and  lastly  Pyrandrus  of  Anaphlystus  who 
is  still  alive.  No  one  was  ever  able  to  secure  their 
friendship  for  you.  The  reason  I  know  well,  but  I 
care  not  now  to  mention  it,  out  of  regard  to  the  The- 
bans' misfortunes.  But  after  Philip  had  taken  JSTiceea 
from  them  and  handed  it  over  to  the  Thessalians, 
after  he  had  in  traversing  Phocis  again  brought  upon 
them  the  war  which  he  had  before  kept  away  from 
Bceotia,  and  finally  after  he  had  taken  and  fortified 
Elatea  and  planted  a  garrison  in  it,  then  when  pres- 
ent danger  menaced  them,  then  it  was  that  the  The- 
bans had  recourse  to  you,  and  you  marched  out  to 
their  relief  and  entered  Thebes  with  your  troops  both 
horse  and  foot,  before  Demosthenes  had  written  a 
single  syllable  about  the  alliance.     The  times,  their 


[137—143.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


61 


alarm,  and  the  need  of  union  with  you,  brought  you 
to  Thebes,  not  Demosthenes. 

In  this  matter  of  the  treaty,  moreover,  Demos- 
thenes committed  three  capital  faults  to  your  preju- 
dice.    First,  when  Philip  who  was  at  war  merely  in 
name  with  Athens,  but  had  his  whole  hostility  really 
directed  against  the  Thebans  as  events  proved,  (and 
wdiy  say  more  on  this   point?)    Demosthenes   kept 
this  important   consideration  entirely  out  of  view; 
and  pretending  that  the  alliance  had  been  brought 
about    not    from    the    stress   of    circumstances   but 
through  his  own  embassies,  he  persuaded  you  that 
it  Avas  of  less  consequence  to  discuss  the  conditions 
of  the  alliance  than  to  succeed  in  obtaining  it.     Hav- 
ing secured  this  point,  he  abandoned  all  Boeotia  to 
the  Thebans  by  the  introduction  of  a  clause  into  the 
treaty  that  if  any  city  should  revolt  from  Thebes  the 
Athenians  should  be  bound  to  assist  only  the  Boeo- 
tians who  adhered  to  Thebes.      He  thus  concealed 
and  evaded  the  real  issue,  according  to  his  wont,  by 
delusive  language ;  as  if  the  Boeotians  Avhen  smart- 
ing under  injury  would  content  themselves  with  De- 
mosthenes's  fine  phrases,  and  not  rather  feel  indig- 
nant at  the  real  injustice  they  were  made  to  sufter. 
A<rain,  he  assessed  you  from  whom  the  danger  was 
remote  with  two-thirds  of  the  expense  of  the  war, 
charging  the  Thebans  Avith  the  other  third;  being 
Avell  paid  for  this  and  his  other  arrangements.     The 
command  of  the  fleet  he  divided,  while  he  put  the 


62 


.ESCHINES 


whole  cost  upon  you;  but  he  gave  up,  to  speak 
phiinly,  the  entire  control  of  the  land  forces  to  the 
Thebans,  insomuch  that  Stratocles  your  general  was 
unable  during  the  war  to  provide  even  for  the  safety 
of  his  own  troops.  I  accuse  him  not  as  to  matters 
which  others  might  pass  over,  but  I  speak  out  as  to 
what  all  condemn  him  for ;  and  yet  you  Λνΐιο  know 
all  this  express  no  resentment  about  it.  You  seem 
to  be  disposed  towards  Demosthenes  in  this  way : 
vou  have  been  so  accustomed  to  hear  of  his  mis- 
deeds,  that  they  no  longer  create  astonishment  in 
you.  But  you  must  put  away  this  frame  of  mind, 
and  become  indignant  unto  punishment,  if  you  are 
to  expect  that  even  what  is  left  to  our  State  shall 
prosper. 

But  there  was  a  second  Avrong  committed  by  him 
even  greater  than  the  first.  By  means  of  the  clause 
which  provided  for  the  common  consideration  of  all 
measures  with  the  chiefs  of  Boeotia  he  practically 
abstracted  from  our  Senate  and  people  the  entire 
discussion  of  public  business,  and  transported  it  to 
Thebes,  to  the  Cadmeia.  In  this  Λvay  his  power 
became  so  absolute,  that  he  publicly  announced  to 
you  from  the  platform,  that  he  would  go  as  ambassa- 
dor whithersoever  he  thought  proper,  without  regard 
to  your  orders. 

Did  any  of  your  generals  differ  from  him  in 
opinion,  he  declared  he  would  reduce  them  to  sub- 
mission and  accustom  them  to  absolute  acquiescence 


[143^148.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


63 


by  having  the  pre-eminence  of  the  platform  estab- 
lished over  that  of  the  camp,  asserting  that  you  had 
been  more  benefited  by  his  efibrts  from  the  platform 
than  by  anything  done  by  any  general  in  the  field. 
Besides  making  profit  out  of  the  empty  battalions  in 
our  foreign  forces  and  embezzling  the  soldiers'  pay, 
he  hired  out  to  the  Amphissians  ten  thousand  of  these 
troops  against  my  reiterated  protests  and  objections 
in  the  Assembly ;   and  in   consequence  of  their  re- 
moval he  involved  the  City  in  serious  peril.     AYhat, 
think  you,  could  Philip  have  most  desired  under  the 
circumstances  ?     Was  it  not  to  fight  here  separately 
against   the    City's   forces,   separately  in   Amphissa 
against  the  mercenaries,  and  then  after  striking  such 
a  blow  to   surprise  the  discouraged  Greeks?     And 
the  author  of  all  this  ruin,  not  content  with  escaping 
the  punishment  due  to  his  oftences,  is  indignant,  for- 
sooth, at  being  deprived  of  the  honor  of  a  golden 
And  it  is  not  enough  for  him  that  it  shall 


crown 


! 


be  proclaimed  in  presence  of  you  his  fellow-citizens, 
but  he  must  complain  bitterly  if  it  be  not  done  before 
the  eyes  of  assembled  Greece  !  Thus,  it  seems,  a  de- 
praved nature  armed  with  great  power  brings  heavy 
calamities  upon  the  State. 

The  third  and  by  much  the  most  important  ofience 
which  I  have  referred  to,  I  am  now  about  to  speak 
of.  Philip  did  not  despise  the  Greeks.  He  was 
quite  too  intelligent  for  that.  Nor  was  he  so  in- 
considerate as  to  desire  to  risk  upon  the  event  of  the 


64 


.ivSCHINES 


fraction  of  a  day  all  the  advantages  he  had  secured. 
He  was  therefore  desirous  of  an  accommodation,  and 
Λvas  upon  the  point  of  sending  envoys  to  treat  about 
it.  The  Theban  magistrates  also  rightly  apprehended 
the  impending  danger;  for  they  had  learned  a  lesson 
not  easily  to  be  forgotten  from  the  Phocian  war  of 
ten  years'  duration  : — tliey  needed  not  the  advice  of 
an  unwarlike  orator,  who  had  been  guilty  of  desert- 
ing his  post.  In  this  condition  of  things,  Demos- 
thenes suspecting  that  the  Ba'otian  leaders  had  been 
secretly  bribed  by  Philip  to  conclude  a  particular 
peace,  and  thinking  it  w^orse  than  death  that  he 
should  be  left  out  of  the  circle  of  corruption,  burst 
into  the  Assembly  when  there  was  no  question  under 
consideration  of  either  peace  or  war;  and  intending 
to  proclaim  in  advance  as  if  througli  the  voice  of  a 
herald  to  the  Theban  magistrates  that  they  must  give 
him  a  share  of  the  plunder,  he  swore  by  Athene 
(whose  statue  Phidias  seems  to  have  carved  to  enable 
Demosthenes  to  appeal  to  as  an  instrument  of  perjury 
and  proiit)  that  if  any  one  should  speak  of  making 
peace  with  Philip  he  w^ould  drag  him  to  prison  by 
the  hair  of  his  head,  in  imitation  of  that  Cleophon 
w^io,  w^e  are  told,  ruined  the  republic  by  his  violence 
in  the  war  with  the  Lacedemonians.  But  as  the 
Thebans  paid  no  heed  to  him,  and  were  even  about 
sending  back  your  troops  who  had  already  taken 
the  field,  maddened  at  the  spectacle,  he  ascended 
the  platform  and  denounced  the  Boeotian  rulers  as 


[148—153.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHOX. 


65 


traitors  to  Greece.  And  the  man  who  had  never 
dared  to  look  the  foe  in  the  face,  declared  that  he 
would  introduce  a  decree  under  wbich  you  ΛνοηΜ 
send  deputies  to  tlie  Thebans  to  demand  a  passage 
through  their  country  against  Philip!  Those  who 
w^ere  in  power  there,  mortified  and  dreading  that 
they  might  really  appear  to  have  betrayed  the  cause 
of  the  Greeks,  faltered  and  turned  aside  from  all 
thoughts  of  peace,  and  threw  themselves  into  prepa- 
rations for  the  conflict. 

It  is  here  the  proper  place  to  speak  of  the  gallant 
men  wliom  this  Demosthenes  in  disregard  of  unpro- 
pitious  auspices  sent  forth  to  meet  a  certain  doom. 
The  wn^etch  who  mounts  the  tombs  of  these  unhappy 
victims  with  the  trembling  feet  wbich  faltered  in  the 
ranks  and  fled  from  battle,  is  he  who  dares  to  cele- 
brate the  courage  of  these  heroes!     Oh  most  das- 
tardly of  men,  most  incapable  of  wise   and   noble 
conduct,  but  most  audaciously  skilful  in  the  use  of 
words,  darest  thou  now  to  undertake  to  look  upon 
the  countenances  of  these  thy  fellow-citizens,  and  to 
assert  before  them  that  thou  deservest  to  be  crowned 
for  bringing  ruin  upon  thy  country !    And  if  he  dares 
to  say  this,  will  you  my  fellow-citizens  permit  it,  and 
shall  the  memory  of  those  brave  men  perish  with 
them,  Avhen  they  have  ceased  to  live?     Go  with  me 
for  a  moment  in  your  thoughts  from  this  tribunal  to 
the  theatre,  behold  the  herald  advancing  slowly,  and 
listen   to   the   proclamation  which   will   follow  this 

7 


ι 


6ϋ 


JESCHINES 


[153—158.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


67 


decree.  AVill  the  parents  and  the  rehitives  of  these 
unfortunate  soldiers  shed  more  ahundant  tears  over 
the  misfortunes  and  woes  presented  in  the  tragic 
spectacles  there  exhibited,  than  over  the  State's  in- 
o-ratitude  ?  AVhat  Greek  trained  in  the  principles  of 
freedom  will  not  on  such  a  day  be  filled  with  grief 
Λvhen  he  reflects  that  formerly  before  the  spectacles 
beo'an,Avhen  the  government  Avas  administered  under 
happier  laws  and  by  wiser  counsellors,  the  herald 
Λvould  advance  with  the  youthful  orphans  whose 
fathers  had  fallen  in  the  field,  and  pointing  to  them 
clad  in  complete  armor  would  proclaim  in  those 
beautiful  and  encouraging  words,  "  Behold  the  chil- 
dren of  the  gallant  men  who  lost  their  lives  in  our 
defence,  whom  their  country  has  educated  up  to 
manhood,  and  now  presents  here  armed  in  proof, 
and  sends  fortli  witli  happy  auguries  to  manage  their 
own  aitairs  and  to  aspire  to  the  highest  honors  of  the 

State." 

Such  was  the  language  of  the  herald  in  former 
days,  but  now  how  difl:erent !  AVere  he  now  to  pre- 
sent before  you  him  who  caused  the  orphanhood  of 
all  these  children,  in  what  terms  think  you  Avould 
he  make  his  proclamation  ?  Should  he  indeed  recite 
the  form  of  the  decree,  truth  would  cry  out  and  pro- 
claim our  shame  in  words  of  contradiction  to  the 
herald's  voice.  She  ΛνοηΜ  assert  that  the  Athenian 
people  crown  for  his  virtue  the  man,  if  he  be  a 
man,  who  is  infamous  for  vice, — for  his  courage,  the 


t\ 


coward  who  in  the  hour  of  danger  fled  from  liis  post ! 
I  implore  you,  men  of  Athens,  in  the  name  of  the 
sovereign  Jove  and  all  the  Gods,  suffer  not  to  be 
erected  against  yourselves  a  trophy  in  the  temple  of 
Dionysus ;  convict  not  our  City  of  madness  in  the 
face  of  assembled  Greece ;  nor  remind  the  w^orld  of 
the  irremediable  woes  of  the  unhappy  Thebans  wdiom 
you  welcomed  hither  when  they  fled  from  the  homes 
from  which  they  had  been  driven  by  the  venality  of 
Demosthenes,  through  whose  corruption  they  lost 
their  temples,  their  children,  and  their  tombs. 

But  since  you  were  not  present  in  person,  figure 
to  yourselves  in  imagination  the  condition  of  this 
unhappy  people.  Their  city  is  carried  by  assault; 
amidst  the  horrors  and  confusion  of  walls  over- 
turned, and  houses  in  flames,  you  shall  see  Λvomen 
and  children  driven  from  their  homes  into  slaverv, 
and  aged  persons  of  both  sexes  unlearning  too  late 
in  life  the  sweet  teachings  of  freedom;  you  shall 
find  them  in  all  their  misery  less  indignant  against 
the  immediate  instruments  of  their  punishment  than 
against  the  real  authors  of  their  wrongs :  they  im- 
plore you  Avith  sobs  and  tears  never  to  honor  with  a 
crown  the  scourge  of  Greece,  but  to  guard  yourselves 
against  the  evil  genius  and  the  ill-fortune  which  have 
always  accompanied  this  man.  No  community,  no 
private  person  has  ever  prospered  who  has  submitted 
himself  to  the  counsels  of  Demosthenes.  And  will 
you  not  be  ashamed,  Athenians,  after  enacting  a  law 


QS 


.ESCHINES 


about  tlie  passage  over  the  Strait  to  Salamis,  that 
any  ferryman  who  shall  even  nnintentionally  upset 
his  boat  shall  never  again  be  permitted  to  exercise 
his  calling,  that  no  one  through  carelessness  may 
jeopard  the  lives  of  Greeks,  yet  to  allow  this  man, 
who  has  so  completely  destroyed  not  only  Athens 
but  all  Greece,  to  be  placed  again  at  the  head  of  our 
ofovernment  ? 

In  coming  now  to  the  fourth  period,  which  em- 
braces our  present  condition,  I  wish  first  to  remind 
3^ou  that  Demosthenes  not  only  quitted  the  ranks  of 
the  army  on  the  battle-field,  but  also  deserted  his 
post  as  a  citizen ;  for  he  embarked  on  one  of  your 
vessels,  and  immediately  started  off  under  pretext  of 
levying  contributions  upon  the  other  Greeks.  AVhen 
the  danger  had  unexpectedly  passed  away,  he  re- 
turned to  Athens,  and  advancing  towards  the  plat- 
form trembling  and  half  dead  with  fear,  he  besought 
you  to  elect  him  commissioner  for  settling  the  terms 
of  peace.  At  that  time  you  would  not  even  suffer 
the  name  of  Demosthenes  to  be  inscribed  upon  your 
decrees,  but  injoined  the  duty  upon  Nausicles :  and 
yet  he  now  demands  the  honor  of  a  croΛvn !  After 
Philip's  assassination,  and  Alexander  had  succeeded 
to  the  throne,  he  resumed  his  trade  of  impostor.  He 
erected  altars  to  Pausanias,  drew  upon  the  Senate  the 
odium  of  ordering  sacrifices  at  the  good  news,  and 
even  termed  the  new  king  a  Margites,  assuring  us  he 
would  never  stir  from  Macedon,  but  remain  at  l*ella 


[158—162.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


69 


Λ 


walking  about  Λvatching  the  auguries.  All  this,  he 
said,  he  asserted  positively  and  not  from  conjecture, 
since  courage  is  purchased  by  blood  alone.  This 
fellow  thus  spoke,  who  was  without  blood  in  his  own 
veins,  and  who  judged  Alexander  not  after  Alexan- 
der's nature,  but  from  his  own  dastardly  character ! 
But  when  the  Thessalians  were  marching  against 
your  City,  and  the  youthful  monarch  Λvas  animated 
Avith  a  just  anger,  his  army  actually  investing  Thebes, 
Demosthenes,  who  had  been  chosen  ambassador  to 
him,  took  the  alarm  on  Mount  Citheeron,  and  re- 
turned flying  back  to  Athens,  thus  proving  himself 
equally  useless  in  peace  and  in  war.  And  most 
astonishing  of  all,  you  have  not  surrendered  this 
man  for  trial  by  the  Assembly  of  the  Greeks ; — the 
traitor  who,  if  common  report  is  true,  has  betrayed 
you  all ! 

According  to  the  statements  of  the  mariners  and 
of  your  envoys  to  Alexander, — and  the  thing  seems 
highly  probable, — there  went  with  them  a  young 
man  from  Platsea,  Aristion  the  son  of  Aristobulus 
the  druggist,  whom  some  of  you  are  perhaps  ac- 
quainted with.  This  youth,  who  was  of  remarkable 
personal  beauty,  lived  for  a  long  time  in  the  house  of 
Demosthenes,  upon  what  footing  is  uncertain,  and  it 
would  be  improper  for  me  to  explain.  Taking  ad- 
vantage, as  I  have  heard,  of  the  belief  that  his  origin 
and  former  mode  of  life  were  unknown,  he  insinuated 
himself  into  Alexander's   favor,  and  was  admitted 


70 


^SCHINES 


[162—167.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


71 


into  his  intimacy.  Through  this  man  Demosthenes 
corresponded  ^vith  the  king,  and  by  flattery  and  ob- 
sequiousness secured  a  certain  foothokl  for  reconcilia- 
tion.    And  observe  how  the  facts  agree  with  Avhat  I 

alleoce  asrainst  him. 

If  Demosthenes  really  believed  what  he  now  asserts, 
and  was  so  hostile,  as  he  says  he  was,  to  Alexander, 
three  fine  opportunities  for  proving  this  presented 
themselves,  none  of  which  he  made  use  of. 

First  of  all,  when  Alexander,  just  seated  on  the 
tlirone,  was  about  passing  over  into  Asia,  his 
authority  at  home  not  yet  firmly  established,  the 
Persian  king,  then  in  his  prime  of  strength,  abound- 
in»•  in  ships,  and  troops  and  supplies  of  all  kinds, 
would  readily  have  made  an  alliance  Λvith  us  on  ac- 
count of  the  dangers  which  threatened  him.  AVhat 
word  did  you  then  utter,  Demosthenes,  or  what  de- 
cree did  you  prepare?  Shall  I  set  down  this  omis- 
sion to  your  fears,  and  to  your  native  timidity  ?  Yet 
public  policy  waits  not  upon  the  cowardice  of  the 

public  man. 

Ao-ain,  when  Darius  had  descended  with  all  his 
powers,  and  Alexander  was  menaced  in  Cilicia, 
without  support,  and  as  you  then  said,  about  to  be 
crushed  by  the  Persian  cavalry;  when  Athens  could 
scarce  contain  your  insolence,  and  you  strutted  about 
the  streets  with  letters  in  your  hands,  pointing  out 
my  face  as  that  of  a  terror-stricken  man,  and  saying 
I  was  a  victim  crowned  for  the  sacrifice  ready  to  fall 


. 


at  the  least  reverse  to  Alexander ;— even  then  you 
did  nothing,  but  waited  for  a  more  favorable  oppor- 
tunity. But  passing  over  all  this,  I  will  come  down 
to  the  present  moment. 

The   Lacedemonians,  with  the   aid   of  a  foreign 
force,  had  gained  a  battle,  defeating  a  Macedonian 
army  near  Corragus  :  the  Elians  had  joined  them, 
all  the  Achieans  except  the  people  of  Pellene,  all  Ar- 
cadia, except  Megalopolis.     That  city  was  besieged, 
and  every  day  was  expected  to  be  taken.     Alexander 
himself  had  advanced  beyond  the  Great  Bear,  and 
almost  beyond  the  habitable  globe :    Antipater  had 
for  a  long  time  been  trying  to  gather  together  an 
army,  and  the  future  Avas  uncertain.     Tell  us  now, 
Demosthenes,   what  you   then  did,  what  you  then 
said;  if  you  will,  I  yield  to  you  the  platform  until 
you  shall  have  finished.     You  are  silent  and  embar- 
rassed ;  I  take  compassion  upon  you,  and  will  now 
report  myself  what  you  then  rehearsed. 

Do  you  not  remember,  Athenians,  the  odious  and 
almost  incredible  language  Avhich  he  then  uttered, 
and  which  you  then  listened  to  with  the  callousness 
of  steel,  when,  advancing  from  the  platform,  he  cried 
out,  "  There  are  some  among  you  who  clip  and  cut 
the' City  as  a  vine,  who  hack  the  people's  tendrils; 
the  very  nerves  of  the  State  have  been  cut  asunder, 
we  are  stitched  up  as  in  a  mat,  our  sides  are  pricked 
as  with  needles."  AVhat  language  was  this,  oh  beast, 
was  it  words,  or  the  utterance  of  a  monster  !     And 


72 


.SSCHINES 


again,  when  swinging  yourself  round  upon  the  plat- 
form you  srave  yourself  out  as  workinij  aii^ainst  Alex- 
ancler,  and  hawled  out,  "  It  is  I  who  raised  up  against 
him  the  Lacedemonians,  it  is  I  who  detached  from 
him  the  Thessalians  and  Perrhihceans." — You,  De- 
mosthenes, you  stir  up  a  single  hurgh  !  You,  who 
Avould  neyer  come  near  a  town,  or  eyen  a  single 
house,  where  danger  was  present !  But  if  money 
was  anywhere  to  he  spent,  there  you  were  sure  to  he 
found ; — neyer  w^here  a  deed  of  manhood  was  to  he 
done  !  Is  a  lucky  stroke  struck,  you  cunningly  ap- 
propriate it,  and  take  care  to  inscrihe  it  Λyith  your 
name ;  is  danger  in  the  Λyind,  you  eyer  keep  out  of 
the  way ;  hut  with  the  return  of  confidence,  you  cry 
out  for  recompense,  for  rewards  and  golden  crowns  ! 

Oh,  but  he  is  a  friend  of  the  people,  a  loyer  of  our 
institutions  !  If  you  turn  to  his  flattering  harangues, 
Λ'οη  will  be  deceiyed  as  you  haye  eyer  been  :  if  you 
scan  his  real  nature,  and  look  at  the  truth  itself,  you 
Ayill  be  sayed  from  error.  And  thus  should  you 
make  up  your  judgment  about  him.  But  I  will  now 
consider  with  you  the  true  cliaracter  of  the  wise  and 
yirtuous  friend  of  his  country,  contrasting  with  it  the 
yile  partisan  of  the  goyernment  of  a  few  ;  and  when 
you  haye  both  presented  for  comparison,  then  search 
out  and  proye  which  of  the  two  he  is,  not  from  his 
own  fawning  tongue,  but  from  his  life  and  conduct. 

You  w^ill  all  doubtless  admit  that  the  true  patriot 
should  first  of  all  be  liberally  born  both  on  the  father's 


[167—171.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


73 


and  the  mother's  side,  lest  he  might  look  with  disfa- 
vor, by  reason  of  his  misfortune,  upon  our  free  demo- 
cratic constitution,     l^ext,  he  should  be  able  to  point 
to  services  rendered  by  his  ancestors  to  the  State ;  or 
at  least  that  they  should  not  have  laid  themselves 
open  to  reproach,  lest  in  the  effort  to  remedy  their 
disgrace  he  might  be  brought  to  do  the  Common- 
Avealth   a  wrong.      Thirdly,  his   daily  walk  in   life 
should  be  wise  and  moderate,  that  waste  and  irregu- 
larity may  not  tempt  him  to  take  the  wages  of  cor- 
ruption to  the  people's  disadvantage.     Fourthly,  he 
should  be  able  to  clothe  noble  and  patriotic  thoughts 
in  fitting  language,  that  he  may  the  better  appeal 
to  right  intelligence;  for  the  persuasive  wisdom  of 
the  speaker  powerfully  influences  his  auditors.    But 
good  sense  must  always  be  set  above  mere  rhetor- 
ical display.     Lastly,  he  must  be  of  firm  and  con- 
stant heart,  that  lie  may  never  be  tempted  to  abandon 
his  fellow-citizens  in  the  face  of  danger.     He  who 
adheres  to  the  power  of  an  oligarchy  is  the  opposite 
of  all  this,  and  it  is  useless  to  repeat  his  character- 
istics.    Examine  then  well,  w^hich  of  the  patriot's 
attributes  belong  to  Demosthenes;   but  let  the  ex- 
amination be  in  all  respects  fair  and  just. 

Ilis  father,  Demosthenes  of  Pieania,  Λyas  undoubt- 
edly a  man  of  free  birth ;  this  must  be  fully  admitted. 
But  how  about  his  descent  on  the  mother's  side,  and 
who  was  his  maternal  grandfather?  I  will  tell  you. 
There  was   once  a  certain  Gylon  of  Kerameis  who 


74 


.ESCHINES 


betrayed  to  the  enemy  Xympliieum,  a  city  of  Pontus 
which  then  belonged  to  us ;  and  being  denounced  for 
this,  he  awaited  not  the  sentence  of  death,  but  fled 
from  Athens  and  settled  on  the  Bosphorus.  lie  re- 
ceived from  the  neighboring  princes  as  the  reward  of 
his  perfidy  a  place  called  Kepi,  and  married  a  woman 
rich  indeed  and  who  brought  him  a  large  estate,  but 
a  Scythian  by  birth.  From  this  union  sprang  tAvo 
daughters,  whom  he  sent  hither  with  considerable 
fortunes.  One  he  established  in  marriage  with  a 
citizen  whom  I  do  not  mention,  as  I  desire  not  to 
make  unnecessary  enemies;  the  other  was  betrothed 
to  Demosthenes  of  Pteania,  who  disregarded  the  laws 
of  his  country  in  espousing  her.  The  issue  of  this 
marriage  was  Demosthenes,  this  officious  meddling 
sycophant.  On  his  mother's  side,  on  her  father's,  he 
is  thus  the  people's  enemy;  for  against  his  grand- 
father you  pronounced  sentence  of  death.  His 
mother,  Greek  only  in  speech,  but  barbarian  by 
race,  has  given  the  world  a  son  whose  wicked  nature 
proves  him  no  true  Athenian. 

And  what  has  been  his  daily  mode  of  life  ?  Having 
wasted  his  inheritance  by  folly  and  frivolity,  from  a 
trierarch  he  became  a  special  pleader;  but  showing 
his  treachery  in  this  employment  l)y  the  betrayal  of 
his  clients'  secrets  to  their  adversaries,  he  quitted  it 
to  betake  himself  to  the  platform.  Of  the  large  sums 
which  he  received  from  the  public  he  kept  little ; 
but  the  king  of  Persia's  gold  flowed  freely  to  sup- 


[171—176.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


75 


port  his  profusion.  Yet  all  this  proved  insufficient, 
for  no  money  could  satisfy  the  prodigality  of  his 
spendthrift  nature.  He  lived,  in  a  word,  not  from 
his  private  revenues,  but  from  the  public  dangers. 

But  what  are  his  endowments  of  ability  and  power 
of  speech  ?  Eloquent  in  words,  his  life  is  utterly  de- 
praved. Of  his  abuse  of  his  body,  and  his  coarse 
sensuality,  I  must  not  speak  at  large.  To  reveal  the 
gross  vices  of  our  fellows  is  always  an  ungrateful 
task.  But  what  does  the  City  get  by  this?— Fine 
ΛVords,  and  ill  deeds. 

It  remains  to  speak  a  Avord  or  two  about  his  cour- 
age.    Had  he  denied  his  cowardice,  or  were  you  not 
ail  well  acquainted  with  it,  I  had  had  here  the  occa- 
sion of  consuming  a  little  time  upon  this  point.     But 
as  he  has  avowed  it  himself  in  our  Assemblies,  and 
you  are  thoroughly  informed  about  it,  I  need  only 
refer  to  the  laws  which  have  been  framed  upon  this 
subject.     Our  ancient  law-giver  Solon  thought  that 
the  man  who  refused  to  obey  the  summons  to  the 
field,  as  well  as  he  who  quitted  the  ranks,  were  equally 
guilty  with  the  coward  :    for  the  laws  are  enacted 
against  cowardice.     Should  some  of  you  perchance 
be  surprised  that  a  natural  infirmity  is  treated  as  a 
crime,  the  reason  is  easily  given.     It  is  that  each 
citizen   fearing    more   the   punishment   inflicted   by 
the  laws  than  the  enemy's  face  should  contend  all 
the  better  in  his  country's  behalf.     The  law  there- 
fore excludes  equally  from  the  public  lustrations  the 


»*^.^^i4iJiftliW!»JM*lM<(*aft^ 


76 


JB8CHINES 


L176— 181.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


77 


man  λυΙιο  refuses  to  serve,  the  coward,  and  him  who 
abandons  his  post.  He  can  neither  receive  the  honor 
of  a  crown,  nor  be  admitted  to  the  sacred  rites  of  the 
temple.  And  yet  you,  Ctesiphon,  order  us  to  crown 
a  man  incapable  by  law  of  receiving  a  crown  ;  by 
your  decree  you  call  into  the  theatre,  during  the 
tragedies,  him  who  is  unworthy  of  appearing  there ; 
you  attempt  to  introduce  into  the  temple  of  Dionysus 
one  who  has  forfeited  throu£:li  his  cowardice  all  rrsht 
to  participate  in  the  rites  of  religion. 

But,  lest  I  should  withdraw  your  attention  from 
the  subject,  keep  this  point  steadily  in  view.  AVhen 
he  professes  his  great  affection  for  the  people,  look 
to  his  life,  not  his  \vords;  regard  what  he  is,  not 
Avhat  he  says.  And  as  we  are  talking  of  crowns  and 
rewards,  let  me,  Λvhile  it  is  still  in  my  mind,  fore- 
warn you,  Athenians,  that  unless  tliis  prodigality  of 
honors,  this  indiscriminate  conferring:  of  crowns  is 
stopped,  you  will  neither  obtain  the  thanks  of  those 
Λνΐιο  are  honored,  nor  will  the  affairs  of  the  City  be 
advanced.  The  Λvorthless  man  will  not  be  made 
better,  Avhile  the  o-ood  will  be  altoi^ether  discoura<red 
by  it.  Let  me  give  you  some  pregnant  instances  of 
the  truth  of  what  I  say.  AVere  the  question  put  to 
you  Avhether  the  condition  of  the  State  was  more 
glorious  in  your  ancestors'  time  than  at  present,  all 
\vould  answer.  In  the  days  of  our  forefathers.  AVere 
the  men  of  the  olden  time  better  than  now?  Then, 
they  were  truly  great;    now,  alas,  ho\v  degenerate! 


And  crowns,  and  honors,  and  proclamations  and  en- 
tertainments in  the  Prytaneum,  were  they  more  rife 
then  than  now^?  In  those  days  rewards  with  us  were 
rare,  but  the  name  of  virtue  was  truly  precious.  In 
our  time  honors  have  become  vile  by  their  profusion  : 
and  crowns  are  given  as  a  customary  ceremonial,  not 
as  a  recompense  conferred  with  judgment. 

Should  it  seem  strange  to  the  reiiecting  mind  that 
wliile  honors  now  are  more  abundant,  (hen  the  public 
interests  more  flourished,  that  public  servants  should 
now  be  worse,  then  better,  I  Avill  endeavor  to  give  the 
explanation.     Can  you  suppose,  Athenians,  that  any 
one  would  enter  the  lists  of  the  Olynipian  Games,  or 
of  any  other  of  our  public  sports  to  strive  for  the 
prize  in  ΛvrestΓmg   or   any  other  contest,  were   the 
crow^n  aΛvarded,  not  to  the  best  man,  but  to  some  in- 
trio-uimr  trickster?     No  !     None  would  prepare  him- 
self  for  the   encounter.     It  is  because  the  prize  is 
rare,  hard  to  obtain,  conferring  immortality  upon  the 
victor,   and    therefore    glorious,   that   the    generous 
youth  keep   their   bodies   under   subjection,  endure 
J:he  greatest  hardships,  and  are  ready  to  meet  the 
greatest   dangers!      And   imagine   yourselves  to  be 
the  judges   in   the  contention  for  civic  excellence; 
think  you  not  that  when  you  bestow  the  prize  up- 
rightly upon  the  deserving  few,  the  combatants  in 
this  glorious  strife  wall  not  be  many  ?     It  is  by  show- 
ing favor  to  the  ready  caballer,  that  you  stifle  all 
noble  aspirations. 


78 


^:SCHINES 


Let  me  make  my  meaning  still  more  plain.  AVliich 
was  the  better  man,  Themistocles  the  commander  of 
your  fleet  when  you  overcame  the  Persians  at  Sala- 
mis,  or  Demosthenes  the  deserter  from  the  ranks  ? — 
Miltiades  the  conqueror  at  Marathon,  or  tliis  fellow? 
— the  men  who  brous^ht  back  from  Phvle  the  flvinir 
people,  Aristides  surnamed  the  just,  or  Demosthenes 
who  should  be  surnamed  something  very  different? 
But,  by  the  Olympian  Gods,  it  were  unworthy  to  men- 
tion on  the  same  day  this  beast  and  those  illustrious 
men  I  Let  him  show,  if  he  can,  wlien  he  comes  to 
speak,  Λvhen  was  it  it  was  ever  decreed  that  a  crown 
should  be  conferred  upon  any  of  them.  AVas  their 
country  then  ungrateful?  No!  she  Λvas  magnani- 
mous :  and  these  citizens  Avere  truly  worthy  of  her, 
in  the  very  absence  of  such  honors.  They  thought 
it  not  honorable  to  be  inscribed  in  decrees,  but  to 
live  in  the  remembrance  of  their  grateful  fellow- 
citizens,  Avhich  has  kept  their  memory  ever  fresh 
from  that  day  down  to  this. 

AVhat  then  were  their  rewards  ?  Such,  indeed,  as 
it  is  honorable  to  speak  of  There  were  those,  Athe-, 
nians,  who,  fighting  under  the  greatest  ditticulties 
and  encountering  the  greatest  perils,  vanquished  the 
Persians  near  the  river  Strymon.  On  their  arrival 
here,  the  people  accorded  to  their  demand  for  recom- 
pense, what  then  seemed  a  mighty  honor.  In  the 
portico  of  the  temple  of  Hermes  were  erected  three 
statues  of  the   God,  inscribed  not  with   their   own 


[181—186.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


79 


names,  lest  the  inscription  should  appear  to  be  made 
for  the  generals,  rather  than  the  people.  The  lan- 
guage proves  the  truth  of  my  assertion ;  for  on  the 
first  you  find  these  words  : 

*'  Honor  to  those  who  first  by  Strymon's  floods 
Kouted  the  Mede,  hard  by  old  Eion's  towers : 
Famine  and  valor  laid  the  foeman  low." 

Upon  the  second : 


"  Good-will  and  courage  Athens  thus  rewards 
In  those  who  forth  her  armies  led.     Let  all, 
Of  this  regardful,  strive  to  emulate 
This  virtue  in  the  State's  behalf  displayed." 

And  on  the  third  Hermes  it  is  thus  inscribed  : 

"  In  days  of  yore  Menestheus  to  Troy's  plains 
With  great  Atrides  marched  the  Attic  hosts : 
«      A  mighty  chieftain  with  the  mail-clad  Greeks 
The  blind  bard  sings  him.    Hence  the  City  claims 
Of  AVar  and  Peace  to  stand  the  Arbiter." 

AVhere  do  you  find  here  the  names  of  the  generals? 
—Nowhere.— It  is  the  people's  only.  Go  with  me, 
in  imagination,  to  the  painted  Portico,  for  in  this 
public  place  the  monuments  of  all  your  glories  are 
displayed  in  full  view.  Why  do  I  ask  this?  It  is 
because  you  will  there  find  represented  by  the 
painter's  hand  the  battle  of  Marathon.  Should  it 
be  asked  who  led  the  troops  to  action  on  that  glo- 
rious day,  all  would  reply,  Miltiades.  Is  his  name 
inscribed  there  ?     Or  did  he  ask  this  honor  ?     The 


ml 


80 


.ESCHINES 


[186—191.] 


AGAINST  CTESIPHOX. 


81 


State  refused  his  claim,  and  only  conceded  that  he 
should  be  there  depicted  leading  on  his  troops  to 
victory.  Behold  again  in  the  temple  of  the  Motlier 
of  the  Gods,  near  the  Senate-house,  the  record  of 
the  rewards  bestowed  upon  the  men  who  brought 
back  our  fugitive  citizens  from  Phyle.  The  decree 
was  proposed  and  passed  by  Archines  of  Koile,  him- 
self one  of  the  victorious  leaders,  and  by  it  was  given 
to  them,  first,  a  largess  of  one  thousand  drachmas  for 
sacrifices  and  ofterings, — less  than  ten  drachmas  to 
each  man.  Next,  they  are  all  directed  to  be  crowned 
with  olive  wreaths,  not  crowns  of  gold.  The  olive 
crown  was  precious  in  those  days,  while  now  the 
golden  one  is  fallen  into  contempt.  Nor  was  this 
honor  distributed  by  chance.  No,  it  was  awarded 
after  exact  inquiry  by  the  Senate  to  the  men  who  had 
courageously  sustained  the  siege  in  Phyle  against  the 
Lacedemonians  and  the  Thirty,  not  to  those  who  re- 
fused to  keep  their  ranks  at  Chyeronea  against  the 
enemy's  attack.  Listen  to  the  decree  in  proof  of  my 
statements. 

DECREE  RELATING  TO  THE  HONOR  OF  THOSE 
WHO  HAD   BEEN   AT  PHYLE. 

Read  now  Ctesiphon's  decree  in  favor  of  the  author 
of  all  our  ills. 

DECREE. 

The  honor  to  the  men  of  Phyle  is  effaced  by  this 
decree.     If  this  last  is  right,  the  first  one  Avas  all 


t» 


JIf 


^ 


wTong.     If  Thrasybulus  and  his  companions  were 
justly  honored,  Demosthenes  is  unjustly  crowned. 

He  will  assert  however,  I  am  told,  that  I  act  un- 
fairly in  comparing  him  with  the  men  of  the  olden 
time,  and  Λνϋΐ  say  that  Philammon  was  not  crowned 
at  the  Olympian  Games  for  having  overcome  Glaucus 
that  ancient  Avrestler,  but  for  having  defeated  the 
combatants  of  the  present  day.     Fool!   do  we  not 
know  that  athletes   strive   each  with  the  other,  but 
that  in  the  struggle  for  the  honors  of  the  State  the 
contest  is  with  Virtue  herself  I     The  herald's  voice, 
when   he    proclaims    the    crown    before    assembled 
Greece,  should  echo  back  the  truth !     Show  us  not, 
then,   Demosthenes,   that  you   have    surpassed    the 
pigmy  Patiekion,  but  Λvhen  you  reclaim  the  honors 
of  the  State  prove  your  title  by  your  own  worth. 
Let  the  clerk  now  read  the  inscription  to  the  honor 
of  the  men  Λvho  brought  back  the  people  from  Phyle, 
lest  I  should  seem  to  wander  from  the  point. 

INSCRIPTION. 

"  Athens,  this  soil  which  holds  by  ancient  right, 
Honors  with  crowns  of  olive  the  brave  men 
Λ\Ίιο  lightly  prizing  life  the  State  redeemed 
By  tyrants  and  by  tyrants'  laws  oppressed." 

The  poet  tells  us  these  heroes  were  honored  be- 
cause they  overthrew^  the  men  who  governed  con- 
trarv  to  law;  for  it  was  ringing  in  the  ears  of  all 
that  the  people  were  defeated  the  moment  there  w^as 

8 


f 


82 


JESCHINES 


[191—196.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


83 


taken  from  them  the  power  to  pursue  the  invaders  of 
the  law. 

I  have  heard  from  my  father,  wlio  lived  to  the  age 
of  ninety  after  sharing  in  all  the  misfortunes  of  his 
country,  Λvhilst  conversing  with  me  in  his  leisure 
moments,  that  upon  the  return  of  the  people  hoth 
words  and  deeds  were  equally  punished  when  a 
prosecution  Λvas  instituted  for  a  violation  of  the  laws. 
AVhat  more  impious  indeed  than  an  assault  against 
them  either  hy  speech  or  act?  And  according  to  his 
report,  the  trial  was  conducted  not  as  at  present,  but 
the  dicasts  themselves  were  much  more  severe  aijainst 
the  offenders  than  the  prosecutor.  Oftentimes  would 
they  call  upon  the  clerk  to  read  over  the  laws  and 
the  decree,  and  those  accused  of  introducing  bills 
in  contravention  of  them  were  condemned  not  for 
transgressing  the  whole  body  of  the  laAvs,  but  for 
changing  in  them  a  single  syllable.  As  the  matter  is 
now  managed,  the  whole  thing  is  ridiculous.  The 
proposed  illegal  decree  is  read,  while  the  jurors,  inat- 
tentive to  what  is  going  on,  listen  as  to  a  ballad  or 
an  idle  tale.  And  you  have  furthermore,  in  follow- 
ing this  fellow's  artifices,  introduced  into  our  trials 
a  scandalous  practice.  The  rights  of  the  State  are 
completely  reversed :  it  is  the  prosecutor  who  must 
defend  himself,  Λvhile  the  criminal  attacks  ;  and  the 
judges,  perplexed  and  in  ignorance  of  the  real  point 
to  be  decided,  are  compelled  to  render  their  verdict 
upon  something  which  is  not  before  them.     If  the 


4r 


accused  should  perchance  speak  to  the  case  at  all,  he 
defends  himself  not  upon  the  ground  of  legality,  but 
because  another  who  has  committed  the  self-same 
act  has  been  heretofore  suffered  to  escape  scot-free. 
And  upon  this,  I  understand,  Ctesiphon  relies  with 
irreat  confidence. 

Aristophon  the  Azenian  once  boasted  in  public 
that  although  he  had  been  seventy-five  times  prose- 
cuted for  infractions  of  the  law,  he  had  never  been 
convicted.  IIow  difterent  was  that  ancient  minister, 
the  patriot  Kephalus !  His  boast  was— and  it  was 
an  honest  one— that  while  he  had  Λvritten  more  de- 
crees than  any,  he  had  never  been  accused  of  vio- 
lating the  law.  For  in  those  days,  not  only  did 
political  opponents  accuse  each  other  of  illegality, 
but  friends  Avithstood  friends  upon  the  ground  of 
injustice  done  the  State.  Here  is  a  striking  proof. 
AVhen  Archines  accused  Thrasybulus  of  illegality  for 
proposing  a  crown  to  one  of  those  who  had  returned 
with  him  from  Phyle,  the  prosecution  was  successful 
in  spite  of  the  recent  great  services  of  the  accused. 
For  the  jurors  thought  that  the  same  Thrasybulus 
who  had  brought  back  our  countrymen  from  Phyle 
to  the  City,  himself  drove  them  forth  again,  in  thus 
proposing  an  illegal  decree.  To-day  all  is  difl:erent. 
Your  generals  of  repute,  your  public  men  honored 
by  maintenance  in  the  Prytaneum,  solicit  you  on  be- 
half of  the  violators  of  the  law.  And  you  should 
rio-htly  treat  them  as  ungrateful  citizens.     For  the 


81 


.i:SCHINES 


[196—202.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


S5 


man  who,  honored  by  a  democracy  like  ourr=;  which 
is  protected  by  Heaven  and  the  laws,  dares  to  assist 
the  laws'  infringer,  himself  attempts  the  destruction 
of  the  very  State  from  Avhicli  he  draws  his  title  to 
consideration. 

AVhat  then  should  be  the  course  a  just  and  wise 
man  should  adopt  in  such  a  defence  as  this  ?  I  will 
expose  it.  AVhen  an  impeachment  founded  upon  the 
proposal  of  an  illegal  decree  is  brought  before  the 
Court,  one-third  of  the  day  of  trial  should  be  ac- 
corded to  the  accuser,  to  the  laws  and  to  the  gov- 
ernment. The  second  part  should  then  be  given  to 
the  accused  and  his  defenders.  If  the  defence  is  not 
successful  upon  the  first  vote,  the  remaining  portion 
of  the  day  should  be  consumed  in  adjusting  the  sen- 
tence in  proportion  to  the  crime.  To  solicit  your 
moderation  in  awarding  it,  is  nothing  but  an  appeal 
to  your  clemency :  but  to  ask  your  suffrages  in  the 
first  instance  in  behalf  of  the  offender,  is  to  ask  you 
to  run  counter  to  your  oaths,  the  laws,  and  the  con- 
stitution. It  is  to  ask  what  is  equally  unlawful  either 
for  them  to  solicit  or  for  you  to  grant.  You  should 
then  compel  these  importunate  petitioners  to  suffer 
you  first  to  pronounce  your  verdict  in  conformity 
to  law,  and  then  ask  you  to  abate  the  rigor  of  the 
sentence. 

For  my  own  part,  Athenians,  I  am  strongly  in- 
clined to  the  opinion  that  in  prosecutions  ί'οχ  an  in- 
fraction of  the  law  like  this,  it  should  be  forbidden 


iH 


i 


both  to  the  accuser  and  the  accused  to  employ  an  ad- 
vocate. In  such  cases  the  law  of  justice  is  plain  and 
easily  determined.  For  as  in  the  construction  of  a 
building  a  supposed  departure  from  the  perpendic- 
ular is  settled  by  the  plumb-line,  so  in  an  accusation 
for  a  breach  of  la\v  by  means  of  the  proposal  of  an 
illegal  decree,  a  plain  and  simple  rule  is  placed  be- 
fore the  judge  in  the  record  upon  Avhich  the  laws  and 
the  decree  attacked  are  inscribed.  Shew  that  the 
decree  conforms  to  the  law,  and  then,  Ctesiphon,  de- 
scend. AVhy  nmst  you  call  upon  Demosthenes  ?  To 
pass  by  a  just  defence,  and  then  to  claim  the  services 
of  an  architect  of  evil,  a  weaver  of  harangues,  in  this 
way  you  arrest  the  cause  of  justice,  you  injure  the 
City,  and  you  defeat  the  constitution. 

How  nmst  Λve  get  rid  of  all  such  artifice  ?     Should 
Ctesiphon  step  forward  and  rehearse  the  introduc- 
tion of  that  discourse  Avhich  has  been  prepared  for 
him,  and  then  proceed  to  waste  your  time  in  empty 
declamation  without  touching  his  defence,  order  him 
at  once  to  confront  the  decree  with  the  record  of  the 
laws.     Should  he  pretend  not  to  hear  you,  do  you 
refuse  to  listen  to  him ;  for  you  are  here  to  regard 
the  just  defence  of  an  honest  litigant,  not  the  subtle 
apology  of  one  who  is  ev-ading  the  accusation.     But 
should  he  pretermit  this  upright  course  and  call  upon 
Demosthenes,  decline  to  receive  this  artisan  of  evil 
who  hopes  to  pervert  the  law  by  dint  of  words.     Let 
none  of  you,  on  Ctesiphon's  demand,  be  first  ready 


c«^ 


8β 


^SCHINES 


[202—207.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


87 


to  cry  out,  "  Call  liim,  call  him."  You  call  him,  if 
you  do,  against  yourselves,  against  the  laws,  against 
the  Commonwealth.  But  if  it  be  3'our  pleasure  to 
listen  to  Demosthenes,  compel  him  to  make  his  de- 
fence in  the  same  order  as  the  accusation ;  and  what 
this  is,  I  Λvill  recall  to  you. 

I  did  not  begin  by  going  over  Demosthenes's 
private  life,  nor  by  referring  to  any  of  his  public 
offences,  although  I  should  have  been  the  most  in- 
experienced of  men  had  I  not  been  able  to  produce 
abundant  instances  of  wrong  from  each.  No !  I 
began  by  exhibiting  the  laws  Nvhich  forbade  the 
coronation  of  any  public  man  Avhose  accounts  had 
not  been  passed ;  I  then  convicted  Ctesiplion  of 
having  proposed  a  crown  to  Demosthenes  while  yet 
accountable,  without  even  adding  the  qualifying 
clause  "  when  he  shall  have  given  in  his  accounts," 
in  utter  disregard  both  of  the  laws  and  you;  and 
I  exposed  the  futility  of  the  pretences  set  up  against 
my  ease,  which  I  now  ask  you  to  recall. 

i^ext,  I  referred  to  the  laws  upon  the  subject  of 
proclamations,  by  which  it  is  expressly  forbidden 
that  any  one  crowned  by  the  people  should  be  so 
proclaimed  outside  of  the  Assembly ;  and  I  showed 
that  the  accused  had  not  only  violated  the  law  in  the 
first  respect,  but  also  as  to  the  time  and  place  of  the 
proclamation  in  directing  it  should  take  place  not 
in  an  Assembly  but  in  the  Theatre,  not  before  the 
Athenians   alone,   but    in    the    presence   of  all   the 


t 


Greeks  at  the  representation  of  the  new  tragedies. 
In'conclusion  I  touched  upon  the  irregularities  of  his 
private  life,  and  expatiated  at  some  length  upon  the 
defaults  of  his  public  career. 

You  should  then  compel  Demosthenes  to  begin  by 
first  discussing  the  law  relating  to  accountables,  next 
as  to  the  time  and  place  of  the  proclamation,  and 
finally,  what  is  of  most  importance,  to  prove  his  title, 
or  rather  to  disprove  his  Avant  of  title  to  the  honor. 
And  should  he  ask  of  you  to  concede  to  him  the 
order   and   arrangement  of  his  reply,  and  promise 
that  he  will  answer  the  question  of  illegality  at  the 
close  of  his  discourse,  sufier  him  not,  in  ignorance  of 
his  design  to  deceive  your  tribunal,  so  to  proceed. 
His  purpose  is  not  to  attempt  to  justify  the  legality 
of  the  decree ;  and  knowing  that  he  cannot  do  so  he 
will  by  withdrawing  your  attention  to  other  matters 
endeavor  in  your  possible  forgetful ness  of  it  to  elude 
the    point   altogether.      And   as    in    our   gymnastic 
sports  the  wrestlers  skilfully  contend  about  the  choice 
of  irround,  so  do  you  in  vour  contest  for  the  credit 
of  the  State  strive  with  him  the  entire  day  if  neces- 
sary to  prevent  his  evasion  of  the  legal  points,  and 
keeping   always    on   your  guard  watch   every  twist 
and  turning  of  his  harangue,  and  bring  him  back 
and  confine  him  to  the  real  issue. 

I  may  here  foretell  the  part  that  he  will  play  when 
he  sees  that  you  are  in  earnest  in  your  endeavor  to 
hold  him  to  his  true  course.     Ctesiphon  will  intro- 


88 


iESCHINES 


[207—212.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


89 


duce  that  arch-impostor,  that  phinderer  of  the  puhlic, 
who  has  cut  the  constitution  into  shreds ;  the  man 
who  can  weep  more  easily  than  others  Laugh,  and 
from  Λvhom  perjury  flows  in  ready  Λvords  ! 

He  can,  I  doubt  not,  change  his  tone,  and  pass 
from  tears  to  gross  abuse,  insult  the  citizens  who 
are  listening  outside,  and  cry  out  that  the  partisans 
of  oligarchical  power  detected  by  the  hand  of  truth 
are  pressing  round  the  prosecutor  to  support  him, 
while  the  friends  of  the  constitution  are  rallvini^ 
round  the  accused.  And  when  he  dares  to  speak 
so,  answer  thus  his  seditious  menaces.  ''  ^Vhat,  De- 
mosthenes, had  the  heroes  who  brought  back  our 
fugitive  citizens  from  Phyle  been  like  you,  our 
democratic  form  of  government  had  ceased  to  exist! 
Those  illustrious  men  saved  the  State  exhausted  by 
ijreat  civil  disorders  in  pronounciiii?  that  wise  and 
admirable  sentence  *  oblivion  of  all  offences.'  But 
you,  more  careful  of  your  rounded  periods  than 
of  the  City's  safety,  are  willing  to  reopen  all  her 
wounds." 

ΛVhen  this  perjurer  shall  seek  for  credit  by  taking 
refuge  in  his  oaths,  remind  him  that  to  the  forsworn 
man  who  asks  belief  in  them  from  those  he  has  de- 
ceived-so  often,  of  two  things  one  is  needful,  neither 
of  which  exists  for  Demosthenes;  he  must  either 
get  new  Gods,  or  an  audience  not  the  same.  And 
to  his  tears  and  wordy  lamentations,  Avhen  he  shall 
ask,  "Whither  shall  I  fly,  Athenians,  should  you  cast 


J« 


Τ 


me  out,  I  have  not  where  to  rest,"  reply,  "  Where 
shall  the  people  seek  refuge,  Demosthenes;  what 
allies,  what  resources,  Avliat  reserve  have  you  pre- 
pared for  us  ?  ΛΥα  all  see  what  you  have  provided 
for  yourself.  AVhen  you  have  left  the  City,  you  shall 
not  stop,  as  you  Avould  seem,  to  dwell  in  Piraeus,  but 
quickly  thence  departing,  you  shall  visit  other  lands, 
Avith  all  the  appointments  for  your  journey  provided 
through  your  corruption  from  Persian  gold,  or  public 

plunder." 

But  why  at  all  these  tears,  these  cries,  this  voice  of 
lamentation  ?     Is  it  not  Ctesiphon  who  is  accused, 
and  even  for  him  may  not  the  penalty  be  moderated 
by  you  ?    Thou  pleadest  not,  Demosthenes,  either  for 
thy  life,  thy  fortune,  or  thy  honor !— AVhy  is  he  then 
so  disquieted  ?     About  crowns  of  gold,  and  procla- 
mations in  the  Theatre  against  the  laws :— the  man 
Λvho,  Avere  the  people  so  insensate  or  so  forgetful  of 
the  present  as  to  wish  to  crown  him  in  this  time  of 
public  distress,  should  himself  step  forth  and    say, 
"  Men  of  Athens,  while  I  accept  the  crown,  I  dis- 
approve the  proclamation  of  the  honor  at  a  time  like 
this :  it  should  not  be  in  regard  to  things  for  which 
tlie  State   is   now  mourning  and  while  it  is  in  the 
depth  of  grief." — Would  not  a  man  whose  life  was 
really    upright    so    speak    out;    only   a  knave   who 
assumes  the  garb  of  virtue  would  talk  as  you  do? 

Let  none  of  you,  by  Hercules,  be  apprehensive  lest 
this  high-souled  citizen,  this  distinguished  warrior, 


r^w» 


90 


.S:SCHIXES 


[212—218.1 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


91 


from  loss  of  this  reward  should  on  his  return  home 
take  his  life.  The  man  who  rates  so  low  your  con- 
sideration as  to  make  a  thousand  incisions  on  that 
impure  and  mortgaged  head  which  Ctesiphon  pro- 
poses against  all  law  to  honor  with  a  crown,  makes 
money  of  his  wounds  by  bringing  actions  for  the 
eifects  of  his  own  premeditated  blows.  Yes,  that 
crown  of  his  so  often  battered,  that  perhaps  even 
now  it  bears  upon  it  the  marks  of  Midias's  anger, 
that  crown  which  brings  its  owner  in  an  income, 
serves  both  for  revenue  and  head  ! 

Let  me  say  a  few  words  about  this  Ctesiphon  the 
author  of  the  decree,  omitting  most  of  what  might 
be  spoken,  and  touching  only  upon  what  nmst  be 
apparent  to  you  about  such  worthless  fellows,  Avith- 
out  the  aid  of  set  phrase  to  assist  you.  I  shall  only 
mention  what  is  common  to  them  both  and  what  any 
one  might  fairly  say.  They  parade  the  public  place 
expressing  their  opinions  of  each  other  in  terms  not 
complimentary  but  true.  Ctesiphon  tells  us  he  has 
no  fears  about  himself,  for  he  is  but  a  private  man, 
but  he  dreads  Demosthenes^s  venality,  his  cowardice, 
and  his  abject  baseness.  Demosthenes  for  his  part 
making  a  self-examination  has  reason  for  great  con- 
fidence, but  he  is  worried  about  his  friend's  per- 
versity, his  shocking  morals,  and  his  odious  trade  of 
go-between!  How  fairly  they  judge  themselves! — 
can  you  absolve  this  precious  pair  who  know  each 
other  so  well  ? 


*  4 


As  for  myself  I  briefly  meet  in  advance  the  invec- 
tives which  are  to  be  launched  against  me.     I  am 
told  that  Demosthenes  will  insist  that  Avhile  the  City 
has  been  Avell  served  by  him  on  many  occasions,  by 
me  it  has  been  ever  ill  served.     And  he  will  fasten 
upon  my  shoulders  the  burthen  of  all  the  Λvrongs  the 
City  has  endured  from  Philip  and  from  Alexander. 
This  perfidious  architect  of  words  will  not  be  content 
to  attack  my  acts  of  administration,  and  my  uttered 
discourses;  but  my  leisure  hours,  my  very  silence, 
will  be  slandered  and  accusecL,  that  no  spot  in  my 
life  may  escape  his  envenomed  tongue.     The  harm- 
less sports  of  the  gymnasium  in  the  company  of  our 
youth  will  be  misconstrued ;  and  from  the  very  out- 
set of  his  reply  he  will  denounce  this  prosecution  as 
instituted  not  in  the  City's  interest,  but  to  pay  court 
to  Alexander,  since  I  know  so  well  this  king  loves 
not  Demosthenes.     Finally  he  will  ask  why  it  is  that 
I  now  attack  in  mass  the  whole  of  his  administration, 
\vhen  I  never  interfered  with  it  or  accused  it  in  de- 
tail ;  why  do  I  attack  it  to-day,  I  who  never  meddled 
with  public  afiairs  except  rarely  and  at  long  intervals. 
For  myself,  Athenians,  I  have  neither  envied  the 
occupations  of  Demosthenes,  nor  am  I  ashamed  of 
my  own.     I  neither  desire  that  any  discourse  ever 
made  by  me  to  you  should  be  withdrawn,  nor  would 
I  be  willing  to  live  on  the  condition  of  having  to 
father  his.    My  moderation,  Demosthenes,  has  caused 
my  silence,  for  my  Λvay  of  life  is  simple,  I  have  never 


92 


J^CHINES 


wished  for  oruiltv  splendor.  Unconstrained  by  any 
expenses,  I  speak  or  am  silent  as  reflection  dictates. 
But  you  are  silent  when  your  hands  are  full,  and  you 
cry  out  when  thej'  are  empty;  you  sjicak  not  what 
or  when  you  should,  but  when  your  paymasters  ex- 
act it;  and  you  blush  not  to  utter  boldly  what  the 
moment  afterwards  you  are  convinced  was  false. 

This  prosecution  begun  in  Philip's  lifetime,  before 
Alexander  had  reached  the  throne,  you  say  was 
brought  by  me  to  gratify  the  youthful  king,  and  not 
in  the  City's  behalf.  But  you  had  not  then  beheld 
the  vision  of  Pausanias,  nor  had  your  midniijht  in- 
terview  with  Athene  and  with  Here  taken  place. 
Could  I  have  thus  paid  my  court  in  advance  to 
Alexander,  unless  I  had  been  favored  with  the  same 
dreams  as  Demosthenes  ? 

You  blame  me  for  coming  before  the  people  at 
rare  intervals,  as  if  we  Avere  ignorant  that  such  an 
argument  has  no  place  in  a  constitution  like  ours. 
AYhere  the  government  is  in  the  hands  of  a  few,  not 
who  would,  accuses,  but  he  Avho  has  the  power  :  in  a 
democracy  it  is  the  citizen  who  does,  and  when  he 
wills  to  do  so.  Infrequent  speech  before  the  people 
argues  the  man  who  speaks  in  their  true  interests 
and  on  proper  occasions :  the  mercenary's  daily 
harangue  l)etrays  his  hire  and  salary  for  the  work. 

You  dare  to  say  you  have  never  hitherto  been 
prosecuted  by  me,  and  that  you  have  never  yet  been 
punished  for  a  crime  !    Do  you  presume  your  hearers 


[218—224.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


93 


have  lost  their  memory,  or  do  you  deceive  yourself, 
in  recurring  to  such  subterfuges  ?     Perhaps  you  hope 
the  people  have  forgotten,  in  the  course  of  time,  how 
I  exposed  your  impious  behavior  about  the  Amphis- 
sians,  and  your  venal  conduct  in  the  affair  of  Eubcea. 
But  what  time  could  efface  the  remembrance  of  your 
robberies  in  the  matter  of  the  triremes  and  the  trier- 
archs?     You  introduced  a  law  for  the  manning  of 
three   hundred   galleys,  and   having   persuaded   the 
Athenians  to  make  you  Superintendent  of  Marine, 
you  Avere  convicted  by  me  of  having  fraudulently 
withdrawn  sixtv-five  fast-sailing  cruisers,  thus  sub- 
tracting  a  larger  force  than  that  with  which  the  City 
defeated  the  Lacedemonians  and  their  admiral  Pollis 
in  the  naval  light  ait  Xaxos. 

By  your  recriminations  against  others  you  so  em- 
barrassed the  prosecutions  against  yourself,  that  the 
real  danger  was  not  to  you  who  had  committed  the 
offence,  but  to  your  accusers.     Making  magnificent 
promises  for  the  future  while  you  were  always  ruin- 
ing the  present,  you  kept  pouring  out  abuse  upon 
Philip  and  Alexander,  and  inveighing  against  others 
as  hindering  the  City's  opportunities.     At  the  very 
moment  I  Avas  about  to  denounce  you  as  a  State 
criminal,  did  you  not  contrive  the  arrest  of  Anaxinus 
of  Oreum  who  was  making  purchases  of  merchandise 
here  for  Olympias,  and  did  you  not  subject  him  to 
torture  with  your  own  hand,  after  procuring  a  capital 
sentence  to  be  pronounced  against  him?     Yes,  this 


94 


^SCHINES 


was  jour  treatment  of  the  man  at  whose  house  you 
had  lodged,  with  whom  you  had  eaten  and  drunk, 
with  wliom  you  had  made  libations  at  the  same  table, 
whose  right  hand  you  had  clasped  in  yours  as  your 
friend  and  host !  And  yet  you  put  liim  to  death  ; 
and  Avhen  in  the  face  of  our  whole  people  you  Λvere 
convicted  of  this  bv  me,  and  denounced  as  the  niur- 
derer  of  your  host,  without  attempting  to  deny  it 
you  replied  in  a  way  that  made  our  citizens  and  the 
foreigners  who  were  present  cry  out  Avith  indigna- 
tion, that  "you  valued  the  salt  of  Athens  more  than 
the  table  of  the  stranger." 

I  speak  not  now  of  the  forged  letters,  the  arrest 
of  spies  and  the  putting  of  them  to  the  torture  for 
pretended  crimes,  under  the  suggestion  that  I  and 
others  with  me  were  trying  to  make  innovations  in 
the  frame  of  our  government.  He  Λνϋΐ  ask  me,  as  I 
learn,  what  kind  of  physician  must  he  be  who  pre- 
scribes nothing  for  his  patient  in  his  last  illness,  but 
should  at  his  funeral  expatiate  in  presence  of  his 
relatives  upon  the  remedies  by  which  he  might  have 
been  saved.  But  you  will  not  ask  yourself  what 
sort  of  demagogue  the  man  is  who  flatters  tlie  people 
to  their  face,  but  omits  all  occasions  of  saving  the 
Commonwealth  as  they  occur,  and  by  his  calumnies 
stays  the  hands  of  the  faithful  public  servants  who 
are  ready  to  give  good  counsel !  You  will  not  tell 
us  of  the  worthless  minister  who  after  involviuir  his 
country  in  every  possible  calamity  deserted  his  post 


[224—229.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


95 


in  the  hour  of  danger,  and  then  demanded  honors 
and  crowns  for  his  services,  himself  the  author  of  all 
the  ruin ;  and  who  after  driving  by  his  abuse  from 
the  public  service  the  men  who  might  have  yet  saved 
the   State  while  it   Λvas   possible,  should   insolently 
demand  why  they  had  not  prevented  him  from  de- 
stroying it.     And  least  of  all  will  you  wish  to  have 
exposed  how  wlien  after  the  battle  we  had  no  time 
to  think  of  your  punishment  while  our  attention  was 
engrossed  with  the  safety  of  the  State  and  the  em- 
bassy for  that  purpose,  it  was  not  enough  for  you 
that  you  should  escape  the  hands  of  justice,  but  that 
when  by  your   impudent  claim  for  rewards  Athens 
was  made  ridiculous  in  the  sight  of  Greece,  I  was 
compelled  to  oppose  this  and  to  bring  the  accusation 
now  under  trial.     But  by  the  immortal  Gods  I  am 
most  indignant,  Λvhen  I  am  told  of  what  Demos- 
thenes designs  finally  to  say  of  me.     I  am  like  the 
justly  decried  Sirens,  it  seems,  and  those  who  listen 
to  me,  whilst  they  are  charmed  are  lured  on  to  their 
destruction.     My  natural  and  acquired  talents  have 
been  used  but  for  the  injury  of  those  Λvho  gave  heed 
to  me.     This  reproach  should  in  my  opinion  have 
never  been  made  against  me,  since  it  is  disgraceful  to 
make  a  charge  which  cannot  be  substantiated.     I  can 
well  understand  how  such  an  accusation  might  have 
come,  not  indeed  from  Demosthenes,  but  from  some 
rugged  warrior  who  has  performed  great  exploits  but 
is  incapable  of  public  speech,  and  who  is  naturally 


96 


.ESCHINES 


[229—233.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


97 


jealous  of  the  orator,  when  lie  feels  that  while  he 
himself  is  unable  to  state  clearly  to  the  people  his 
own  title  to  esteem,  the  latter  can  even  claim  merit 
with  his  hearers  for  actions  which  he  has  never  per- 
formed. But  when  a  man  who  is  made  up  of  words, 
and  those  bitter  and  superfluous,  takes  refuge  in  a 
claim  for  simplicity  of  speech  and  the  substantial 
merit  of  his  conduct,  who  can  put  up  with  the  pre- 
tensions of  such  a  wordmonger  of  Avhom  if  you  stop 
the  mouth,  as  with  a  flute,  there  is  nothing  left?    • 

Great  will  be  my  astonishment  then  to  learn  upon 
what  grounds  you  can  dismiss  this  prosecution.  Can 
it  be  because  Ctesiphon's  decree  w  conformable  to 
law?  Never  has  there  been  a  proposition  more  il- 
leofal.  Is  it  because  he  w^ho  has  introduced  it  is  not 
justly  punishable  for  his  conduct  ?  Should  you  fail  to 
convict  him,  never  shall  the  action  of  a  public  man 
be  hereafter  made  the  subject  of  examination.  AVhat 
more  melancholy  spectacle  than  when  upon  a  day 
consecrated  to  the  honor  of  the  State  by  strangers  on 
which  in  the  olden  time  the  Theatre  was  filled  with 
the  golden  crowns  conferred  upon  the  Athenian 
people  by  the  other  Greeks,  you  should  not  only  not 
be  crowned  and  proclaimed  by  reason  of  this  man's• 
policy,  but  that  Demosthenes  himself  should  l)e  hon- 
ored !  Should  any  of  our  poets  whose  pieces  are 
exhibited  after  this  ceremony  so  far  depart  from 
truth  as  to  represent  that  Thersites  whom  Homer 
has  depicted  as  a  cowardly  calumniator,  as  crowned 


'Ώ 


by  the  Greeks,  you  would  rise  and  condemn  the  ab- 
surdity. And  think  you  not  if  you  shall  undertake 
to  crown  this  man,  you  will  not  be  condemned  and 
hissed  in  the  heart  of  every  Greek?  Your  fathers 
indeed  gave  to  the  people  the  credit  of  their  own 
glorious  achievements,  and  threw  back  upon  their 
paltry  public  men  what  was  mean  and  discreditable  : 
but  Ctesiphon  would  have  you  discharge  Demosthe- 
nes of  his  own  infamy  that  it  may  be  fastened  upon 
the  State  itself. 

You  proclaim  that  you  are  fortunate,  as  you  really 
are,  in  your  present  prosperity.  Will  you  by  your 
verdict  tlitn  declare  that  you  have  been  abandoned 
by  Fortune,  and  tliat  you  have  been  supported  by 
Demosthenes  alone  ?  And  grossest  of  inconsisten- 
cies, will  you  in  the  same  tribunal  in  Avhich  you  have 
condemned  the  guilt  of  those  who  have  been  con- 
victed of  bribery,  honor  with  a  crown  the  minister 
who  you  are  convinced  has  allowed  himself  to  be 
corrupted  ?  In  the  games  of  our  Dionysiac  festivals 
you  punish  the  judges  for  pronouncing  unfairly  upon 
the  merits  of  the  dancers.  Shall  you  who  are  to  de- 
cide, not  upon  the  passing  amusements  of  the  day, 
but  Λvho  are  to  judge  of  law,  and  of  public  virtue, 
award  the  recompense  contrary  to  equity  not  to  the 
upright  deserving  few,  but  to  the  factious  intriguer  ? 
Then  shall  you  the  judges  retire  from  the  judgment 
seat  belittled  and  enfeebled,  and  this  orator  remain 

all-powerful  !     The  citizen,  bear  in  mind,  reigns  in  a 

9 


98 


^ESCHINES 


democratical  community  by  the  laws  and  l)y  his  own 
vote :  Avhen  he  resigns  to  others  these  pledges  of  his 
poAver,  himself  has  Avrought  the  destruction  of  his 
own  authority.  The  oath  which  he  swore  when  he 
entered  upon  his  duties  shall  cease  not  to  torment 
him  while  he  reflects  upon  the  crime  which  he  has 
connived  at ;  and  he  is  even  deprived  of  the  miser- 
able satisfaction  of  being  known  to  him  whom  he 
has  favored  by  his  perjury,  since  his  vote  was  cast  in 

secret ! 

We  appear,  to  me  at  least,  Athenians,  notwith- 
standing our  imprudent  policy,  to  have  succeeded 
sometimes  in  spite  of  our  very  rashness.  That  the 
many  should  have  abandoned  to  the  few,  in  the  ex- 
isting juncture,  the  Avhole  powers  of  the  government, 
I  cannot  surely  approve:  and  yet  we  are  fortunate 
in  this  that  the  swarm  of  corrupt  and  audacious 
orators  which  formerly  existed  has  not  now-  prevailed. 
Formerly  indeed  the  republic  produced  many  such 
natures  which  readily  overcame  the  people  ;  for  it 
is  fond  of,  and  surrenders  itself  to  flattery.  Hence 
it  has  been  destroyed  not  by  the  men  whom  it  dis- 
trusted, but  by  those  upon  whom  it  relied.  Among 
them  were  found  some  who  ranged  themselves  on 
the  side  of  the  Thirty  Tyrants,  who  put  to  death 
more  than  fifteen  hundred  citizens  Avithout  trial,  and 
who  would  not  even  suffer  their  relatives  to  pay  them 
the  last  rites  of  sepulture.  AVill  you  not  then  shew 
yourselves   the    masters    of   your   public    servants? 


[233—237.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


99 


φ 


Will  you  not  humiliate  these  superb  orators?  Will 
you  cease  to  remember  that  never  has  a  man  in  days 
of  yore  attempted  the  subjugation  of  the  people, 
until  he  first  proved  himself  to  be  stronger  than  the 
law  and  the  courts  of  justice  ? 

I  will  willingly  then,  Athenians,  enter  upon  a  cal- 
culation in  your  presence  Avith  him  who  drew  up  this 
decree,  of  the  public  services  for  Avhich  he  thinks 
Demosthenes  worthy  of  being  croAvned.  Should  you 
say,  Ctesiphon, — it  is  the  beginning  of  your  decree 
— that  it  is  for  the  intrenchments  with  Avhich  he  has 
surrounded  the  City,  I  admire  your  impudence.  To 
have  been  the  cause  of  the  necessity  of  such  works 
is  a  much  heavier  accusation,  than  to  have  exe- 
cuted them  is  a  ground  for  praise.  A  good  minis- 
ter should  shew  his  title  to  reward  and  praise  not 
in  surrounding  the  City  Avith  walls  built  from  the 
ruins  of  the  public  tombs,  but  in  securing  to  his 
country  some  substantial  good.  Should  you  pass  on 
to  the  next  part  of  your  decree,  in  which  you  have 
dared  to  assert  that  he  is  a  patriot  who  has  perse- 
vered by  speech  and  act  to  advance  the  interests  .of 
the  Athenian  people,  lay  aside  the  empty  boast  and 
emphasis  of  language,  and  come  to  the  very  facts 
and  shew  us  what  they  are.  I  pass  over  altogether 
those  acts  of  venality  in  regard  to  the  Amphissians 
and  the  Eubanins;  but  when  you  attribute  to  De- 
mosthenes our  alliance  with  the  Thebans,  you  try  to 
deceive  the  uninstructed,  and  you  outrage  the  well- 


100 


.ESCHINES 


informed.  In  suppressing  the  circumstances,  in  tar- 
nishing the  glory  of  your  fellow-citizens  hy  which 
this  alliance  was  brought  about,  in  giving  to  Demos- 
thenes the  credit  which  belongs  to  the  City,  you  at- 
tempt in  vain  to  hide  from  us  your  malignity. 

I  will  prove  directly  by  a  signal  instance  the  hol- 
lowness  of  all  this  pretension.    The  Persian  king,  just 
before  the  passage  of  Alexander  into  Asia,  wrote  to 
the  people  an  insolent  letter,  in  true  barbaric  style, 
in  which   among   other   gross  expressions   he   con- 
cluded as  follows  :  "  I  shall  not  give  you  money,  ask 
it  not,  for  you  shall  not  get  it."     And  yet  this  self- 
same king  when  pressed  by  the  dangers  which  men- 
aced him,  of  his  own  accord,  Avithout  demand  from 
us,  sent  over  three  hundred  talents,  which  the  Athe- 
nian people  wisely  declined  to  accept.     It  Λvas  the 
time,  his  present  fears,  and  the  want  of  allies  which 
brought  this  money.     And  so  it  was  with  the  Thc- 
ban  alliance.     AVith  the  name  of  the  Thebans  and 
with  this   unfortunate   alliance  with   them   you   are 
continually  wearying  us,  but  you  keep  silent  about 
the  seventy  talents  of  the  Persian's  money  which  you 
took  and  diverted  to  your  own  use.     And  yet  was  it 
not  for  want  of  five  talents  that  the  stranger  did  not 
deliver  up  their  citadel  to  the  Thebans  ?     AVas  it  not 
for  want  of  nine,  that  when  the  Arcadians  had  taken 
the  field  and  their  chiefs  were  disposed  to  come  to 
our  assistance,  the  thing  failed  ?      Meanwhile  you, 
Demosthenes,  are  rich,  and   are  revelling  in  every 


.1) 


[237—243.] 


AGAINST   CTTESIPHON. 


101 


pleasure.  In  a  word,  the  Persian  king's  gold  is  Λvith 
him,  the  dangers,  Athenians,  all  with  you. 

It  is  well  also  to  notice  here  the  coarseness  of  these 
two  men.  Should  Ctesiphon  dare  to  call  upon  De- 
mosthenes to  address  you  in  this  cause,  and  he  should 
mount  the  platform  to  deluge  you  with  self-enco- 
miums, their  audience  Λνϋΐ  be  even  more  intolerable 
than  the  misconduct  which  you  have  endured  from 
him.  It  is  hard  indeed  to  listen  even  to  eminent 
men  whose  many  actions  we  knoAv  to  have  been  glo- 
rious, Avlien  they  indulge  in  self-laudation  ;  but  it 
becomes  insufterable  when  the  man  Λvho  sounds  his 
own  praises  is  a  Avretch  who  has  brought  disgrace 
upon  the  State. 

If  you  are  wise  then,  Ctesiphon,  you  will  abstain 
from  such  scandalous  conduct,  but  make  your  defence 
in  person.  You  surely  cannot  say  that  you  are  un- 
able to  speak  in  public.  Strange  indeed  would  it  be, 
if  Avhen  selected  with  your  own  consent  you  Avent  as 
a  deputy  to  King  Philip's  daughter  Cleopatra  to  pre- 
sent to  her  the  condolence  of  the  City  upon  the  death 
of  her  husband  Alexander  king  of  the  Molossians, 
you  should  now  pretend  that  you  cannot  speak ! 
You  could  publicly  condole  with  a  foreign  princess 
upon  her  misfortune,  and  can  you  not  justify  a  decree 
which  you  were  well  paid  for  introducing  ? 

And  can  it  be  that  he  whom  you  have  thought 
worthy  by  your  decree  of  the  honor  of  this  crown, 
is   so   unknown   to   the   public  which   has   been   so 


102 


^ESCHINES 


largely  benefited  by  him,  that  you  must  procure 
assistance  to  speak  in  his  behalf?  Ask  of  the 
jurors  whether  they  know  Chabrias,  Iphicrates,  and 
Timotheus,  and  learn  from  them  why  they  have 
honored  and  erected  statues  to  them?  ΛΥί!!  they 
not  proclaim  wnth  one  voice  that  they  rendered 
honor  to  Chabrias  for  his  naval  victory  near  Naxos ; 
to  Iphicrates  for  having  cut  off  a  Spartan  corps ;  to 
Timotheus  for  his  expedition  to  Corcyra;  to  other 
heroes  for  their  many  glorious  achievements?  Ask 
them  now  whv  Demosthenes  is  to  be  rewarded.  Is 
it  for  his  venality,  for  his  cowardice,  for  his  base 
desertion  of  his  post  in  the  day  of  battle  ?  In  honor- 
ino*  such  an  one,  Λνϋΐ  you  not  dishonor  yourselves, 
and  the  gallant  men  who  have  laid  down  their  lives 
for  you  in  the  field  ? — whose  plaintive  remonstrances 
against  the  crowning  of  this  man  you  may  almost 
seem  to  hear!  Strange,  passing  strange,  does  it 
seem,  Athenians,  that  you  banish  from  tlie  limits 
•of  the  State  the  stocks  and  stones,  the  senseless  im- 
plements which  have  unwittingly  caused  death  by 
casualty; — that  the  hand  which  has  inflicted  the 
wound  of  self-destruction  is  buried  apart  from  the 
rest  of  the  body;— and  that  yet  you  can  render 
honor  to  this  Demosthenes,  by  whose  counsels  this 
last  fatal  expedition  in  which  your  troops  were 
slaughtered  and  destroyed  was  planned!  The  vic- 
tims of  this  massacre  are  thus  insulted  in  their 
o-raves,  and  the  survivors  outraged  and  discouraged 


^1^ 


[243—247.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


103 


when  tliey  behold  the  only  reward  of  patriotic  valor 
to  be  an  unremembered  death,  and  a  disregarded 
memory !     And  last  and  most  important  of  all  con- 
sequences,  what   answer   shall   you    make   to   your 
children,  when  they  ask  you   after  what   examples 
they   shall   frame   their  lives?      It  is   not,  men   of 
Athens,  you  know  it  Avell,  it  is  not  the  palaestra,  the 
seminary,   or   the   study   of  the   liberal   arts   alone, 
which    form    and    educate    our    youth.     Of   vastly 
greater  value  are  the  lessons  taught  by  these  honors 
publicly  conferred.    Is  a  man  proclaimed  and  crowned 
in  the  Theatre  for  virtue,  courage,  and  patriotism, 
when  his  irregular  and  vicious  life  belies  the  honor, 
the  young  who  witness  this  are  perverted  and  cor- 
rupted !     Is  a  profligate  and  a  pander,  such  as  Ctesi- 
phon,  sentenced  and  punished,  an  instructive  lesson 
is  iriven  to  the  risinsr  o-eneration.    Has  a  citizen  voted 
in  opposition  to  justice  and  propriety,  and  does  he,  on 
his  return  to  his  house,  attempt  to  instruct  his  son; 
disobedience  surely  follows,  and  the  lesson  is  justly 
looked  upon  as  importunate  and  out  of  place.     Pro- 
nounce your  verdict  then  not  as  simple  jurors,  but 
as  ffuardians  of  the  State,  whose  decision  can  be  jus- 
tified  in  the  eyes  of  their  absent  fellow-citizens  who 
shall  demand  a  strict  account  of  it.     Know  ye  not, 
Athenians,  that  the  people  is  judged  by  the  ministers 
Avhom  it  honors  ; — will  it  not  be  disgraceful  then  that 
you  shall  be  thought  to   resemble  the  baseness  of 
Demosthenes,  and  not  the  virtues  of  your  ancestors  ? 


104 


jESCHINES 


How  then  is  this  reproach  to  be  avoided  ?  It  must 
be  by  distrusting  the  men  who  usurp  the  character  of 
upright  and  patriotic  citizens,  wliicli  their  entire  con- 
duct orainsavs.  Good-will  and  zeal  for  the  public 
interest  can  be  readily  assumed  in  name  ;  oftentimes 
those  who  have  the  smallest  pretensions  to  them  by 
their  conduct  seize  upon  and  take  refuge  behind  these 
honorable  titles.  AVhen  you  find  then  an  orator  de- 
sirous of  being  crowned  by  strangers  and  of  being 
proclaimed  in  presence  of  the  Greeks,  let  him,  as  the 
law  requires  in  other  cases,  prove  the  claim  Avhich  he 
asserts  by  the  evidence  of  a  life  free  from  re[)roach, 
and  a  Avise  and  blameless  course.  If  he  be  unable  to 
do  this,  do  not  confirm  to  him  the  honors  which  he 
claims,  and  try  at  least  to  preserve  the  remiuint  of 
that  public  authority  wliich  is  fast  escaping  from  you. 
Even  now,  strange  as  it  should  seem,  are  not  the 
Senate  and  the  people  passed  over  and  neglected, 
and  despatches  and  deputations  received  by  private 
citizens,  not  from  obscure  individuals,  but  from  the 
most  important  personages  of  Europe  and  Asia? 
Far  from  denying  that  for  which  under  our  laws  the 
punishment  is  death,  it  is  made  the  subject  of  open 
public  boast;  the  correspondence  is  exhibited  and 
read;  and  you  are  invited  l)y  some  to  look  upon  them 
as  the  guardians  of  the  constitution,  while  others  de- 
mand to  be  rewarded  as  the  saviors  of  the  country. 
The  people,  meanwhile,  as  if  struck  with  the  decrepi- 
tude of  age,  and  broken  down  by  their  misfortunes, 


[247—254.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHOX. 


105 


preserve  the  republic  only  in  name,  and  abandon  to 
others  the  reality  of  authority.  You  thus  retire  from 
the  Assembly,  not  as  from  a  public  deliberation,  but 
as  from  an  entertainment  given  at  common  cost 
where  each  guest  carries  aAvay  with  him  a  share  of 
the  remnants  of  the  feast.  That  I  speak  forth  the 
Avords  of  truth  and  soberness,  hearken  to  what  I  am 
about  to  say. 

It  distresses  me  to  recur  so  often  to  our  public 
calamities,  but  when  a  private  citizen  undertook  to 
sail  only  to  Samos  to  get  out  of  the  Avay,  he  was  con- 
demned to  death  on  the  same  day  by  the  Council  of 
Areopagus  as  a  traitor  to  his  country.  Another  pri- 
vate citizen,  unable  to  bear  the  fear  which  oppressed 
him,  and  sailing  in  consequence  to  Rhodes,  was  re- 
cently denounced  for  this,  and  escaped  punishment 
by  an  equal  division  of  the  votes.  Had  a  single  one 
been  cast  on  the  otlier  side,  he  would  have  been 
either  banished  or  put  to  death.  Compare  these  in- 
stances with  the  present  one.  An  orator,  the  cause 
of  all  our  misfortunes,  who  abandons  his  post  in  time 
of  war  and  flies  from  the  City,  proclaims  himself 
worthy  of  crowns  and  proclamations.  Will  you  not 
drive  such  a  man  from  your  midst  as  the  common 
scourge  of  Greece;  or  will  you  not  rather  seize  upon 
and  punish  him  as  a  piratical  braggart  who  steers  his 
course  through  our  government  by  dint  of  phrases  ? 

Consider  moreover  the  occasion  on  which  you  are 
called  upon  to  record  your  verdict.     In  a  few  days 


106 


.ESCHINES 


the  Pythian  Games  will  be  celebrated,  and  the  assem- 

ft/ 

bled  Greeks  will  all  be  reunited  in  your  City.  She 
has  already  suffered  much  disparagement  from  the 
policy  of  Demosthenes  :  should  you  now  crown  him 
by  your  votes,  you  will  seem  to  share  the  same  opin- 
ions as  the  men  who  wish  to  break  the  common 
peace.  By  adopting  the  contrary  course,  you  will 
free  the  State  from  any  such  suspicion. 

Let  your  deliberations  then  be  in  accord  with  the 
interests  of  the  City :  it  is  for  her,  and  not  a  foreign 
community,  you  are  now  to  decide.  Do  not  throw 
away  your  honors,  but  confer  them  with  discern- 
ment upon  high-minded  citizens  and  deserving  men. 
Search  with  both  eyes  and  ears  as  to  who  they  are 
among  you  who  are  to-day  standing  forth  in  Demos- 
thenes's  behalf.  Are  they  the  companions  of  his 
youth  who  shared  with  him  the  manly  toils  of  the 
chase  or  the  robust  exercises  of  the  paloestra  ?  No, 
by  the  Olympian  Jove,  he  has  passed  not  his  life  in 
hunting  the  wild  boar,  or  in  the  preparation  of  his 
body  for  fatigue  and  hardship,  but  in  the  exercise  of 
chicane  at  the  cost  of  the  substance  of  men  of  wealth ! 

Examine  well  his  vainglorious  boasting  when  he 
shall  dare  to  say  that  by  his  embassy  he  withdrew 
the  Byzantines  from  the  cause  of  Philip;  that  by 
his  eloquence  he  detached  from  him  the  Acarnanians, 
and  so  transported  the  Thebans  as  to  confirm  them 
upon  3^our  side.  He  believes  indeed  that  you  have 
reached  such  a  point  of  credulity  that  you  are  ready 


[254—259.] 


AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


107 


to  be  persuaded  by  him  of  anything  he  may  choose 
to  utter,  as  if  you  had  here  in  your  midst  the  goddess 
Persuasion  herself,  and  not  an  artful  demagogue. 

And  when  at  the  close  of  his  harangue  Demos- 
thenes shall  invite  the  partakers  of  his  corruption  to 
press  round  and  defend  him,  let  there  be  present  in 
your  imagination  upon  the  platform  from  which  I 
am  now  speaking  the  venerable  forms  of  the  ancient 
benefactors  of  the  State  arrayed  in  all  their  virtue  to 
oppose  these  men's  insolence.  I  see  among  them  the 
wise  Solon,  that  upright  law-giver  who  founded  our 
popular  government  upon  the  soundest  principles  of 
legislation,  gently  advising  you  with  his  native  mod- 
eration not  to  place  your  oaths  and  the  law  under 
the  control  of  this  man's  discourse.  And  Aristides, 
by  whose  equity  the  imposts  upon  the  Greeks  were 
regulated,  whose  daughters  left  in  poverty  through 
his  incorruptible  integrity  were  endowed  by  the 
State,  Aristides  is  seen  complaining  of  this  outrage 
upon  justice,  and  demanding  Λvhetller  the  descend- 
aTits  of  the  men  who  thought  worthy  of  death  and 
actually  banished  from  their  City  and  country  Arth- 
mius  the  Zelian  then  living  in  their  midst  and  en- 
joying the  sacred  rights  of  hospitality  for  merely 
bringing  Persian  gold  into  Greece,  are  now  going  to 
cover  themselves  Λvith  disgrace  by  honoring  with  a 
crown  of  gold  the  man  Avho  has  not  simply  brought 
hither  the  stranger's  money,  but  is  enjoying  here 
the  price  of  his  treason.     And  Themistocles  and  the 


^m 


108 


-ESCHINES   AGAINST   CTESIPHON. 


men  λυΙιο  fell  at  Marathon  and  Plata-a,  tliink  you 
that  they  are  insensible  to  what  is  takinir  place! 
Do  not  their  voices  cry  out  from  tlie  very  tombs  in 
mournful  protest  against  this  perverse  rendering  of 
honor  to  one  avIio  has  dared  to  proclaim  his  union 
with  the  barl)arians  against  the  Greeks! 

As  for  me,  Oh  Earth  and  Sun,  oh  Λ^irtue,  and 
thou,  Intelligence,  by  whose  light  we  are  enabled  to 
discern  and  to  separate  good  from  evil,  as  for  me,  I 
have  directed  my  efforts  against  this  wrong,  I  have 
lifted  up  my  voice  against  this  injustice  !  If  I  liave 
spoken  well  and  loftily  against  this  crime,  I  have 
spoken  as  I  could  have  wished ;  but  if  my  utterances 
have  been  feeble  and  ill-directed,  still  they  have  been 
according  to  the  measure  of  my  strength.  It  is  for 
you,  men  of  Athens  and  jurors,  to  weigh  carefully 
both  what  has  been  spoken  and  what  lias  been  left 
unsaid,  and  to  render  such  a  decision  as  shall  not 
only  be  upright  but  for  the  advantage  of  the  State. 


DEMOSTHENES 


ON    BEHALF   OP 


CTESIPHON. 


J 


109 


DEMOSTHENES  ON  BEHALF  OF 

CTESIPHON. 


,. 


First  of  all,  Athenians,  I  implore  of  the  Gods  and 
Goddesses,  that  the  same  good-will  which  I  feel  and 
have  ever  shewn  to  the  City  and  to  all  of  you  shall 
be  shewn  by  you  to  me  in  this  contest.  Next, — this 
concerns  you  especially,  your  piety  and  glory,— that 
they  may  inspire  you  not  to  suifer  my  antagonist  to 
control  you  as  to  the  manner  in  which  you  shall  hear 
my  defence,  (this  would  indeed  be  cruel,)  but  that  in 
this  you  will  keep  before  you  the  law  and  your  oath,  , 
in  which,  among  other  proper  things,  this  also  is  pre- 
scribed, that  YOU   SHALL   REGARD  BOTH   SIDES   EQUALLY. 

And  this  means  not  only  that  you  shall  not  forejudge 
anything,  not  merely  that  you  shall  shew  the  same 
good-will  to  both  sides,  but  that  you  shall  permit 
each  party  to  adopt  freely  that  arrangement  and 
course  of  argument  in  his  address  which  he  may 
prefer  and  think  most  convenient. 

In  many  things,  indeed,  am  I  at  a  disadvantage 
with  ^schines  in   this  encounter ;— in  two  matters 

111 


e. 


112 


DEMOSTHENES 


[3-9.] 


of  great  importance,  in  particular.  AVe  are  by  no 
means  equal  in  this; — it  is  not  the  same  thing  to  me 
if  I  shall  forfeit  your  good-will,  to  him  if  lie  merely 
fiiils  in  the  prosecution  : — to  me,  indeed — hut  I  dare 
not  in  the  outset  of  my  reply  say  anything  of  ill 
omen.  My  opponent  therefore  accuses  me  at  his 
ease.  Again,  men  by  their  constitution  hear  readily 
attacks  and  abuse  of  others,  but  listen  with  dissrust 
to  all  self-panegyric.  Wiiat  is  agreeable,  therefore, 
fiiils  to  his  part;  to  me  is  left,  so  to  speak,  what 
is  distasteful  to  all  to  hear.  On  the  one  hand  then, 
if  in  the  fear  of  thus  offending  I  omit  to  speak  of 
what  has  been  done  by  me,  I  may  seem  to  fail  to 
answer  the  charges  brought  against  me,  and  not  to 
shew  for  what  I  am  entitled  to  honor ;  on  the  other 
hand,  if  I  enter  upon  my  course  of  action  and  my 
policy,  I  shall  be  often  compelled  to  speak  of  myself. 
I  shall  endeavor,  however,  to  do  this  with  as  much 
reserve  as  possible;  but  for  so  much  as  I  shall  be 
forced  to  say,  it  is  proper  to  hold  him  responsible 
who  has  instituted  this  prosecution. 

Men  of  Athens  and  jurors,  I  think  you  will  all 
admit  that  this  contest  concerns  me  as  much  as 
Ctesiphon,  and  deserves  no  less  earnest  attention 
from  my  hands  than  from  his.  For,  to  be  deprived 
of  anything,  especially  by  an  enemy,  is  grievous  and 
hard  to  bear,  but  to  lose  your  good  opinion  and 
your  affection  is  the  greatest  of  misfortunes,  as  their 
possession  is  the  most  inestimable  blessing. 


ox   BEHALF  OF   CTESIPHOX. 


113 


- 


vou  αΐ  '7»f  l"'"^"-  «f  ^'-  controversy,  I  beseech 
ou  all  ahke  to  hsten  to  n.y  defence  to  this  accusa- 
tion with  the  fairness  which  the  laws  require.    Those 
laws,  established  Ion-,  ago  by  Solon,  who  was  your 
ve  1-w.she.•  and  a  friend  of  the  people,  were  thought 
l.y  h  n.  no   only  to  be  binding  by  reason  of  theirln- 
«cnpt,on    but  because  you  were   sworn  to  observe 
them.    Not  that,  as  it  seems  to  me,  he  distrusted  you 
in  so  causing  ,;ou  to  be  sworn,  but  that  he  foresaw 
that  the  accused  could  never  escape  the  enmities  and 
malice  ,„  which  the  strength  of  the  prosecutor,  from 
being  allowed  to  speak  first,  lies,  unless  each  one  of 
rtie  jury    guarchng  his  probity  by  an  appeal  to  the 
God      should   hsten   favorably   and  justly   to   what 
should  be  asserted  by  the  defence,  and  in  the  same 
Bp.nt  of  impartiality  to  both   sides  enter  upon  an 
examination  of  the  whole  cause. 

Since  I  am  about  to  give,  then,  as  it  would  seem, 
an  account  as  well  of  my  whole  private  life  as  of  m^ 
puhhc  career,  I  desire,  as  in  the  outset,  to  appeal 
again  to  the  immortal  Gods;  and  in  presence  of  you 
all   I  implore  them  first  to  direct  you  to  show  to  me 
in  this  contest  the  same  kindness  which  I  have  ever 
felt  to  you  and  to  your  city;  next,  that  they  will  i„. 
spire  you  so  to  pass  upon  this  prosecution  as  shall 
redound  to  your  common  credit,  and  to  the  elevation 
ot  the  character  of  each  one  of  you. 

Had  ^Eschines  merely  followed  in  the  line  of  his 
attack  the  matters  upon  which  he  has  founded  the 

10 


114 


DEMOSTHENES 


[9-14.] 


ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON. 


115 


prosecution,  I  eoukl  have  readily  defended  tlie  pre- 
liminary decree;   but  since  he  has,  in  unmeasured 
speech,  gone  over  many  other  things,  scattering  the 
foulest  abuse  upon  me,  it  is  necessary  and  proper 
that  I  should  first  briefly  reply  to  these,  lest  some  of 
you,  led  astray  by  such  foreign  matters,  might  hear 
me  with  disfavor  upon  the  merits  of  the  charge  itself. 
See  how  fairly  and  directly  I  ^aH  'in^wer  all  that 
this  man  has  so  slanderously  alleged  against  my  pri- 
vate life.    If  you  have  known  me  to  be  such  as  he 
accuses  me,-and  I  have  lived  my  whole  life  among 
vou,-permit  not  my  voice  to  be  heard,  no  matter 
iiow  well  I  have   managed  public  afiairs,  but  rise 
and  condemn  me  on  the  spot.    If,  on  the  other  hand, 
you  believe  and  know  me  to  be  better  and  of  better 
descent  than    my   accuser,   and— not  to   speak   too 
presumptuously-that  I  and  mine  are  inferior  to  no 
respectable  citizens,  then  disregard  everything  which 
he  has  said  al)out  my  public  life,  since  it  will  be  ap- 
parent he  has  falsified  in  everything.     I  shall  only 
ask  you  to  shew  me  now  the  same  kindness  which 
you  have  always  shewn  in  the  past  in  the  many  con- 
tests in  which "l  have  been  engaged.     But  malicious 
as  you  are,  ^schines,  you  must  be  very  simple  to 
think  I  shall  now  pass  by  all  that  you  have  said  about 
my  political  course,  and  begin  by  taking  up  your 
abuse  of  my  private  character.     I  shall  do  nothing 
of  the  kind.     I  am  not  quite  so  absurd.     I  shall  first 
notice  your  falsehoods  and  slanders  about  my  public 


«R 


dr» 


lu 


life;  and  afterwards  touch  upon  the  scurrilous  abuse 
you  have  been  pouring  out  so  freely  upon  me,  should 
the  jurors  wish  to  liear  me  about  it. 

The  charges  Avhicli  have  been  made  are  many  and 
astounding,  and  to  some  of  them  the  laws  affix  severe 
and  even  the  greatest  punishments;  but  the  manage- 
ment of  this  prosecution  presents  all  the  abuse  and 
insulting  conduct  of  a  private  enemy,  the  malice,  the 
contumelious   treatment,  and  all  its  characteristics. 
If  the  charges  and  accusations  brought  are  true,  the 
City  can  never  take  sufficient  vengeance  for  them,  or 
anything  like  it.     It  is  most  unseemly  therefore  to 
prevent  tlie  person  accused  from  appealing  to  the 
people   and   exercising  his   right   of  speech   before 
them;    but   to   act   thus   in   the   interest  of  private 
enmity  and  malice,  by  the  Gods,  Athenians,  I  hold 
to  be  unconstitutional  as  well  as  most  unrighteous 
and  unjust.     If  ^schines  lias  known  me  to  be  guilty 
of  deliberate  breaches  of  the  law  against  the   City, 
were  they  as  enormous  as  he  has  been  charging  and 
declaiming,  the  penalties  affixed  to  them  by  thelaws 
should  have  been  awarded.     If  he  has  seen  me  doing 
acts  which  deserved  impeachment,  he  should  have 
impeached  me  and  brought  me  to  trial  before  you  for 
them.     If  my  conduct  has  been  unconstitutional,  it 
should  have  been  so  proved  and  punished.     But  he 
should  not  pursue   Ctesiphon  for  me:  'for  had  he 
thought  he  could  have  convicted  me,  he  certainly 
would  never  have  brought  an  accusation  against  him. 


116 


DEMOSTHENES 


Besides,  had  he  seen  me  committing  any  of  the 
crimes  which  he  has  just  been  falsely  accusing  me  of 
and  charging  upon  me,  or  any  other  offences  against 
you,  for  all  such  there  were  laws,  and  punishments, 
and  trials,  and  judgments,  with  sharp  and  severe  pen- 
alties :  all  these  it  was  open  to  him  to  employ  against 
me;  and  had  he  been  found  doing  this,  had  he  made, 
use  of  this  method  against  me,  his  cliarges  would  at 
least  have  been  consistent  with  his  actions.  Xow, 
however,  he  has  turned  aside  from  the  honest  and 
direct  path,  and  avoiding  at  the  time  to  confront  the 
allegations  Λvith  the  proofs,  he  is  playing  a  part  by 
heaping  up  at  this  late  day  accusations,  and  calum- 
nies, and  ribaldrv. 

Furthermore,  he  is  attacking  me,  whilst  he  is 
prosecuting  Ctesiphon,  making  his  hatred  of  me  the 
head  and  front  of  the  whole  contest ;  and  not  fairly 
meeting  me  even  on  this  ground,  he  is  endeavoring 
to  take  away  the  privileges  of  another.  Thus  in  ad- 
dition to  all  the  arguments,  Athenians,  Avhicli  mav 
be  brought  forward  in  favor  of  Ctesiphon,  this  it 
seems  to  me  may  also  be  strongly  urged,  that  it  is 
proper  that  the  inquiry  into  our  private  griefs  should 
be  made  between  ourselves,  and  that  we  should  not 
quit  our  personal  quarrel,  to  find  out  how  much  pun- 
ishment Ave  can  inflict  upon  a  third  person ;  this  were 
the  height  of  injustice. 

Any  one  can  see  then  from  what  I  have  said,  how 
all  that  he  has  brought  ai^ainst  me  is  devoid  of  truth 


[14-19.] 


OX   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


117 


and  justice.  But  I  wish  to  examine  the  charo-es 
separately,  and  in  particular  what  he  has  falsely  ac- 
cused me  of  in  regard  to  the  peace  and  the  embassy, 
which  Avas  really  done  by  himself  in  concert  Avith 
Philocrates.  It  is  necessary  and  right  to  do  this, 
that  you  may  have  brought  to  your  recollection  w^hat 
actually  took  place  at  that  time,  so  that  you  can  look 
at  each  event  in  its  proper  order. 

AVhen  the  Phocian  war  broke  out,  (not  caused 
by  me,— I  was  not  then  in  public  life,)  you  were  at 
first  in  this  position;  although  you  knew  the  Pho- 
cians  had  acted  improperly,  yet  you  desired  them  to 
be  saved  from  ruin ;  and  as  you  had  just  cause  of 
irritation  against  the  Thebans,  you  would  even  have 
been  pleased  at  their  sutfering  any  reverse ;  for  they 
had  used  their  success  at  Leuctra  immoderately.  Be- 
sides, all  Peloi)onnesus  Avas  at  variance  with  itself. 
Neitlier  those  avIio  hated  the  Lacedemonians  were 
strong  enough  to  crush  them;  nor  were  those  Avho' 
V  the  Spartans'  means  had  at  first  triumphed  able 
to  remain  masters  of  the  Cities.  Everywhere  secret 
enmity,  strife  and  trouble  prevailed,— not  only  there, 
but  tliroughout  all  the  States.  All  this  was  mani- 
fest to  Philip,  (indeed  it  was  plain  enough,)  and  he 
scattered  his  bribes  freely  to  traitors  in  every  city  in 
order  to  set  the  Greeks  by  the  ears ;  and  by  intro- 
ducing confusion  and  hatred  among  them  he  took 
advantage  of  their  blunders  and  dissensions,  and 
grew  in  strength  to  their  common  detriment. 


118 


DEMOSTHENES 


The  Theban8,-tl,e..  insolent  enou-1.,  now  alas  so 
unfortunate,-wom  out  by  the  lengtii  of  the  war 
were  manifestly  compelled  to  turn  to  vou;  but  VhWrn 
anxious  to  prevent  this  and  to  keep  ihe  cities  apart,' 
offered  peace  to  you  and  aid  to  them.     Why  was  he 
so  near  taking  you  as  willing  captives  by  his  seduc- 
tive arts  ?     It  was  through  the  baseness,  or  the  folly 
-or  call  it  both,-of  the  other  Greeks.     While  you' 
had  been  carrying  on  a  long  and  incessant  war'for 
the   common   benefit   of  all,   as    the    result   plainly 
sheΛvcd,  they  never  assisted  you  in  the  least,  either 
by  money,  by  troops,   or  in  any  way.     Justly  and 
naturally  displeased  with  this,  you   listened  readily 
to  Philip.     Tlie  peace  that  was  concluded  was  thus 
brought  about  in   this   way,-not  throuiih   me,   as 
^sch.nes  has  fiilsely  asserted.     The  cause,  then    of 
our  present  condition,  any  one  who  shall  foirly 'in- 
quire will  find  in  the  criminality  and  corruption  of 
these  men  at  the  time  of  the  treaty. 

All  this  1  have  accurately  recounted  for  the  sake 
of  truth.     If  anything  seems  wrong  in  it,  it  is  surely 
nothing  to  me.      The  first   man  who  spoke  of  or 
called  your  attention  to  peace  was  Aristodennis,  the 
actor ;  he  who  came  next  and  wrote  the  decree,  hired 
by  Thilip  for  the  purpose  equally  with  the  other,  was 
Philocrates,  the   Agnusian,— your   accomplice,  ^Es- 
chines,  not  ΜΐΝΕ,-though   you   should   burst' with 
fiilsely  asserting  this,  I  say  it.      Their  supporters 
whatever  were  their  motives,  (I  pass  this  by  for  the 


Λ 


[19-24.] 


ON   BEHALF  OP   CTESIPHON. 


119 


present,)  were   Eubulus   and   Kephisophon.      I  had 
notliiiig  to  do  with  it.     But  although  this  was  so, 
as  has  just  been  clearly  shewn,  he  has  nevertheless 
reached  this  height  of  effrontery  as  to  assert  boldly 
that  I  was  the  author  of  the  peace,  and  that  I  pre- 
vented the  City  from  concluding  it  with  the  Common 
Council   of  the  Greeks.      Oh,  you !— How  can  any 
one  rightly  characterize  you  ?     If  you  Avere  present 
and  saw  me  depriving  the  City  of  this  fine  thing,  this 
alliance  as  grand  as  you  now  style  it,  why  did  you 
not  express  your  indignation,  why  did  you  not  come 
forward  and  proclaim  and  expose  what  you  are  now 
denouncing  me  for  ?     And  if,  in  Philip's  pay,  I  Avas 
defeating  the  common  interests  of  Greece,  you  should 
not  have  then  sat  silent,  but  you  should  have  thun- 
dered, and  protested  against  it,  and  proclaimed  it  to 
all.     You  then  did  nothing  of  the  kind  ;  no  one  ever 
heard  that  voice  of  yours.     And  for  a  good  reason, 
Athenians.     No  embassy  was  sent  by  you  to  any  of 
the  Greeks ;  they  had  all  long  before  declared  them- 
selves.    ^Eschines  has  told  nothing  true  about  this. 

Moreover,  in  all  that  he  has  said  he  has  chiefly 
slandered  the  City.  For  had  you  invited  the  other 
Greeks  into  this  war,  and  had  then  sent  ambassadors 
to  Philip  to  treat  of  peace,  your  conduct  would  have 
been  that  of  Eurybatus,  unworthy  of  the  City,  or  of 
honorable  men.  But  it  is  not,  it  is  not  so.  Why 
should  you  have  sent  to  the  Greeks  at  that  time? 
To  treat  of  peace  ?     All  then  had  it.      To  discuss 


120 


DEMOSTHENES 


war?    But  you  were  then  deliberating  about  peace 
It  IS  plain  that  I  ^xas  neither  the  author  of  tlie  peace 
nor  even  advocated  it ;  nor  has  any  of  his  other  false 
charges  against  me  been  shewn  to  be  true. 

Peace  being  then  concluded,  let  us  see  what  part 
each  of  us  took,  that  you  may  thence  understand 
who  was  Avorking  in  everything  for  Thilip,  and  who 
was  active  in  your  behalf  eagerly  on  the  lookout  for 
what  might  be  useful  to  the  City.  It  was  then  that 
I  wrote  the  decree  directing  the  ambassadors  to  sail 
without  delay  to  wheresoever  Philip  might  be,  and  to 
receive  the  oaths  from  him.  They  would  not,  how- 
ever, act  in  accordance  with  this.  The  value  of  the 
decree  I  will  explain. 

It  was  Philip's  interest  to  delay  the  taking  of  the 
oaths  as  long  as  he  could,  whilst  it  was  yours'to  have 
It  done  as  soon  as  possible,  and  for  this  reason.    From 
the  very  day  not  only  on  which  you  had  sworn  to  the 
peace,  but  from  the  time  you  had  hoped  it  mi..ht  be 
obtained,  you  had  laid  aside  all  preparation  foT  war 
Phihp,  on  the  contrary,  had  from  that  moment  re- 
doubled his  efforts,  convinced,  as  it  really  turned  out 
that  whatever  he  might  deprive  the  City  of,  he  should 
be  able  to  retain  firmly,  as  no  one  would  be  disposed 
to  give  up  peace  on  that  account.     I  foresaw  this 
Athenians,  and  carefully  weighing  the  matter,  I  pre- 
pared the  decree  requiring  them  to  sail  to  where  Philip 
was,  and  there  at  once  receive  the  oaths  from  him 
The  oaths  were  to  be  so  taken,  that  the  Thracians 


[24—29.]  ON    BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHOJi.  121 

jour  iillies  should  still  retain  the  places  which  ^Es- 
chines  now  belittles-Serrium,  Myrtium,  and  Ergiske 
—and  that  Philip  should  not  seize  the  principal 
posts,  and  thus  becoming  master  of  all  Thrace,  draw 
from  it  resources  and  troops,  and  be  readily  enabled 
to  accomplish  his  further  purposes. 

^schines  neither  reads  this  decree  nor  notices  it, 
but  attacks  me  because  when  Senator  I  advised  that 
it  was  proper  to  receive  Philip's  envoys.  But  what 
was  to  be  done  ?  To  decree  that  after  coming  liither 
they  should  not  be  admitted  to  confer  with  you  ?  Or 
was  the  manager  of  the  Theatre  to  be  ordered  not  to 
furnisli  them  seat^?  For  two  oboli  they  could  have 
purchased  them  in  spite  of  a  decree.  AVould  it  have 
been  well  in  me  to  have  watched  over  these  petty 
interests  of  the  City,  and  to  have  betrayed  its  im- 
portant ones,  as  these  men  did?  By  no  means. 
Kead  now  the  decree  which  this  man  has  purposely 
ignored. 

DECREE. 

"  In  the  archonship  of  Mnesiphilus,  on  the  last  day  of  Heca- 
tombeon,  during  the  presidency  of  the  tribe  Pandion,  Demosthe- 
nes, son  of  Demosthenes  of  Pa?ania,  moved,  that  whereas  Philip 
had  sent  ambassadors  to  treat  of  peace  with  us  upon  certain 
stipuhited  conditions,  it  should  be  decreed  by  the  Council  and 
people  of  Athens  that  for  the  purpose  of  ratifying  the  peace 
which  had  been  agreed  upon  in  the  first  Assembly,  five  ambassa- 
dors chosen  from  all  the  Athenians  should  proceed  without  delay 
to  meet  Philip  wheresoever  he  might  be,  and  there  exchange 
oaths  with  him  as  speedily  as  possible  upon  the  terms  agreed 


122 


DEMOSTHENES 


[29—35.] 


OX   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


123 


upon  between  him  and  the  Athenian  people,  the  allies  on  both 
sides  being  included  in  the  treaty.  The  ambassadors  chosen  are 
Eubulus,  of  Anaphlystus;  .Eschines,  of  Cothocida• ;  Kephiso- 
phon,  of  Rhamnus;  Democrates,  of  Phlyus ;  and  Cleou,  of 
Cothocidie." 

This  decree  had  been  prepared  by  me  in  the  City's 
interest,  not  in  Philip's;  but  our  precious  envoys, 
utterly  disregarding  it,  sat  down  tliree  whole  months 
in  Macedonia,  until  Philip  had  left  Thrace  after  re- 
ducing it  entirely  to  submission.  In  ten  days— even 
in  three  or  four— they  could  have  reached  the  Helles- 
pont, and  saved  these  places,  by  receiving  the  oaths 
from  him  before  he  had  captured  them.  He  could 
never  have  touched  them  had  we  been  present;— 
certainly  we  should  not  have  received  the  oaths  from 
him;  he  would  have  missed  the  peace,  or  he  could 
not  have  held  on  to  both  the  peace  and  these  posts. 

This  was  Philip's  first  perfidy,  the  purchase,  in  the 
matter  of  the  embassy,  of  these  abominable  men, 
accursed  of  the  Gods.  For  this  I  was  then,  am  now, 
and  ever  shall  be  their  enemy  and  opponent.  But 
you  shall  see  immediately  after  this  a  still  greater 
piece  of  villainy.  Philip  having  at  last  taken  the 
oaths,  but  not  until  he  had  made  himself  master  of 
Thrace  through  the  disobedience  of  these  men  to  my 
decree,  obtained  from  them  for  a  price  that  they 
should  not  quit  Macedonia  until  he  had  everything 
ready  for  his  expedition  against  the  Phocians.  He 
feared  that  if  they  should  let  you  know  what  he  was 


♦ 


preparing  to  do,  you  might  sail  Λvith  your  fleet  to 
Thermopylie  and  close  the  Straits,  as  you  had  for- 
merly done ;  he  hoped,  therefore,  you  Avould  receive 
no  intelligence  until  he  was  fairly  there,  and  then 
you  could  do  nothing. 

But  Philip  was  in  fear  and  mortal  agony  lest,  after 
he  had  taken  the  pass,  you  might  still  resolve  to  aid 
the  Phocians  before  he  had  destroyed  them,  and  the 
thing  should  thus  slip  through  his  hands.  So  he 
bribes  this  miserable  creature,  not  in  the  lump  with 
the  other  envoys,  but  singly  by  himself,  to  announce 
to  you  propositions  by  giving  heed  to  which  every- 
thing might  be  ruined.  I  call  upon  ^^ou,  Athenians, 
to  remember,  and  I  beg  of  you  to  keep  it  in 
mind  throughout  the  whole  of  this  trial,  that  if 
^Eschines  had  not  himself  travelled  out  of  the 
record  to  load  me  with  abuse,  I  should  never  have 
uttered  a  single  word  foreign  to  it.  But  to  all  the 
accusations  and  assaults  w^hich  he  has  so  freely  made 
against  me,  I  must  absolutely  reply  a  little  by  Λvay  of 
answer  to  the  various  charges  contained  in  them. 

A\liat  was  it,  then,  that  was  announced  to  you  by 
him,  which  caused  this  entire  ruin? — "That  you 
need  not  be  uneasy  because  Philip  had  passed  the 
Straits;  for  everything  would  turn  out  as  you  wished, 
if  you  would  only  keep  quiet ;  and  in  two  or  three 
days  you  would  find  out  that  he  would  prove  the 
friend  of  those  against  whom  he  was  marching  as  an 
enemy,  and  the  enemy  of  those  to  Λνΐιοηι  he  seemed 


124 


DEMOSTHENES 


L3d— 40.J 


OX   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


125 


friendly.  It  was  not  Avords,"  said  lie,  talking  in 
his  solemn  manner,  "but  a  community  of  interest 
that  really  cemented  friendship.  Your  interest  and 
Philip's  and  the  Phocians'  Avere  the  same, — to  free 
yourself  from  the  insolence  and  heavy  oppressiveness 
of  the  Tliebans." 

All  this  Avas  received  with  satisfaction  by  many  of 
you  on  account  of  the  secret  dislike  felt  asrainst  the 
Thebans.  AYhat  took  place  soon  afterwards?  It 
was  not  long  in  coming. — The  Phocians  were  de- 
stroyed;  their  cities  annihilated.  You  who  had 
Λvaited  patiently,  relying  upon  this  fellow,  were  in 
a  little  while  compelled  to  bring  in  all  your  effects 
from  the  country  to  the  city,  ^schines  pocketed 
his  pay,  and  besides,  the  hatred  of  the  Thebans  and 
Thessalians  was  transferred  to  you,  and  their  grati- 
tude to  Philip  for  what  had  taken  place.  To  prove 
that  this  is  so,  I  shall  have  now  read  to  you  the  de- 
cree of  Calisthenes  and  Philip's  letter,  which  will 
make  all  as  plain  as  daylight.     Read  them : 

DECREE. 

"In  the  archonship  of  Mnesiphilus,  at  a  special  Assembly 
convened  by  the  generals  with  the  advice  of  the  Senators  and 
Council,  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  Miemacterion,  Calisthenes, 
son  of  Eteonicus  of  Phalerum,  moved  that  no  Athenian  should 
under  any  pretext  pass  the  night  in  the  C()untr>%  but  that  all 
should  remain  in  the  city  and  in  Pirieus,  except  such  as  were 
distributed  in  the  garrisons;  that  these  last  should  maintain 
their  posts,  neither  quitting  them  by  day  or  night ;  that  any  one 


disobeying  should  be  punished  as  a  traitor  unless  he  could  shew 
the  impossibility  of  obedience,  the  cause  of  disobedience  to  be 
decided  by  the  generals  of  arms  and  superintendence  of  finance, 
assisted  by  the  clerk  of  the  Senate.  All  property  should  be 
brought  as  speedily  as  possible  from  the  country  into  the  city, 
and  into  Pira?us,  if  the  distance  did  not  exceed  one  hundred 
and  twenty  stadia  ;*  beyond  that  distance,  into  Eleusis,  Phyle, 
Aphidna,  Rhamnus,  and  Sunium.  Calisthenes  of  Phalerum  has 
80  moved." 

AVas  this  the  hope  with  which  you  made  peace ;  or 
Λvas  this  the  promise  which  this  hireling  held  out  to 
you? 

Read  now  the  letter  Λvhich  Philip  sent  you  after  all 
was  done. 

LETTER. 

"Philip,  king  of  Macedon,  to  the  Council  and  People  of 
Athens,  Greeting:— Know  that  I  have  passed  Thermopylae  and 
reduced  Phocis  to  subjection.  In  such  of  their  towns  as  have  at 
once  submitted  I  have  placed  garrisons;  those  which  have  re- 
sisted I  have  taken  by  force,  razed  to  the  ground,  and  sold  their 
inhabitants  into  slavery.  As  I  have  learned  that  you  were  pre- 
paring to  assist  them,  I  now  write  to  you  that  you  may  save 
yourselves  the  trouble.  You  seem,  in  fine,  to  be  acting  alto- 
gether unreasonably  in  your  intention  of  marching  against  me 
while  you  are  still  at  peace  with  me,— and  for  the  Phocians,  too, 
who  are  not  included  in  our  treaties.  Should  you  fail  to  stand 
by  our  mutual  obligations  you  will  gain  nothing  more  than  to 
be  the  first  to  commit  injustice." 

See  how  plainly  in  this  letter  to  you  he  discloses 


*  A  stadium  is  a  little  less  than  a  furlong. 


126 


DEMOSTHENES 


himself,  and  speaks  to  his  allies.    "  I  have  done  this," 
says   he,  "  in   spite  of  the   Athenians,  and   to   tlieir 
great    annoyance;    if   you    are   wise,   Thebans    and 
Thessalians,    you    will    look    upon    them    as    your 
enemies,  and  trust  entirely  to  me."     He  does  not, 
it  is  true,  use  these  very  words,  but  this  is  what  he 
designs  to  convey.     In   this  manner  he  so  got  the 
mastery  of  them,  that  they  foresaw,  they  perceived 
nothing,   and   allowed   him    ever    after   to    manage 
everything  in  his  own  way.     Hence  all  the  disasters 
whicli  the  wretched  Thebans  have  suffered.     But  he 
who  was  the  fellow-worker  with  Thilip,  and,  with 
him,  the  cause  of  this  confidence,  he  Λνΐιο  announced 
falsehoods  to  you,  and  altogether  deceived  you,  this 
is  the  man  who  is  now  pitying  the  miseries  of  the 
Thebans,  giving  their  sad  detail,  himself  the  author 
of  all  the  calamities  of  the  Phocians,  and  of  what- 
ever else  the  Greeks  have  been  afflicted  with.     It  is 
very  plain   that  you,  ^schines,  are  mourning  over 
what   has   happened,  and   are   compassionating   the 
Thebans,  you,  who  possess  their  property,  and  are 
cultivating  their  fields  in  Boeotia;  while  I,  forsooth, 
am  rejoicing  over  it,  I,  Avho  was  at  once  demanded 
to  be  delivered  up  by  the  originator  of  all  this  ruin ! 
But  I  am  touching  upon  matters  which  it  will  be 
more  fitting  to  speak  of  a  little  later.     I  return  now 
to  shew  that  the  iniquity  of  these  men  was  the  cause 
of  all  our  present  disasters. 

After  you  had  been  thus  cheated  in  the  embassy  by 


ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


127 


[40—45.] 

Philip  through  these  men  who  had  been  purchased 
by  him  to  report  nothing  truly  to   you,  after  the 
unhappy  Phocians  had  been  cheated  and  their  cities 
had  been  destroyed,  what  next  occurred?     The  con- 
temptible  Thessalians  and  the  besotted  Thebans  re- 
carded  Philip  as  their  friend,  benefactor,  and  savior. 
He  was  all  in  all  to  them.     They  would  not  hear  a 
word  against  this.     You,  however,  who  were  much 
annoyed  at  what  had  taken  place,  and  naturally  dis- 
trustful,  still  kept  the  peace;  indeed  there  was  no- 
thing  else  you  could  have  done  alone.     The  other 
Greeks,  tricked  like  yourselves,  and  disappointed  m 
their  hopes,  willingly  kept  the  peace  too,  although  in 
a  certain  sense  all  had  been  for  a  long  time  attacked 
by  him.     For  when  Philip  in  his  hostile  movements 
had  overcome  the  Illyrians  and  Triballians,  besides 
destroying  some  of  the  Grecian  cities,  in  this  way 
mi<^htily  hicreasing  his  power  and  resources;    and 
ΛvlΓen  many  of  these  vile  men,  some  from  every  city, 
^schines  among  the  rest,  had  repaired  to  his  Court, 
under  the  pretext  of  the  peace,  to  ^^f.^^^^^^^.^^'^f  .^ 
of  corruption,  all  the  States  against  which  Philip  had 
been  manoeuvring,  he  was  really  making  war  upon 
If  they  did  not  see  this,  that  was  another  aftair,  and 
no  fault  of  mine.     I  spoke  out  and  I  testified  both  at 
home  and  wherever  I  was  sent  by  you,  in  season  and 
out  of  season.     But  the  States  of  Greece  were  in  the 
lethargy  of  disease;  the  men  at  the  head  of  affairs 
had  been  bribed  by  largesses ;  of  the  citizens,  some 


128 


DEMOSTHENES 


allured  by  the  ba,t  of  a  present  life  of  easv  i.ulif 
ference;     an  .-ere  afflicted  with  the  .a„.e  L  1 
They  beheved  the  impending  blow  wouhl  not  Z'l 
upon  then•  heads,  and  son,e  actnallv  thought  tit 

r  η     ο    the.r  ne.ghbors.     It  happened,  I  fanev,  that 
h.le  the  people  lost  their  liberties  from  preferH  ,.  to 
hem  an  .nglorious  ease,  their  leaders  who  thou^^h 
hey  were  selhng  every  one  but  themselves,  fou'.u 
they  were  the  first  who  were  betrave.l.     Ins  ead  ο 
fnends  and  guests,-the  names  best;wed  upon  Lm 
while  they  were  being  purehased,-they  were  ea  led 
paras.tes,  enemies  of  the  Gods,  and  such  like  names 
when  they  were  no  longer  serviceable.     And  jC  !' 
-For  no  one,  Athenians,  thinks  of  the  interests  S 
he  corrupt  man  when  he  is  bribing  him,  or  con- 
tinues to  take  the  advice  of  a  traitor  after  he  has 
become  master  of  what  he  has  been  buving  fron.  him 
i^oth.ng  would  be  pleasanter  than   a  tn.itor'      ifo 
were  this  so:  but  it  is  not;-very  far  fron.  U     W^ 
he  who  .s  stnving  for  the  n.astery  reaches  the  hei4 
ot   power,  and  becomes  the  lord  of  the   betrayer 
hat  n.oment  he  sees  through  all  their  villainy  Id 
a  es,  and  m,strusts,  and   loathes  then..      Οοί:.:;:^ 
this ,  If   he  time  of  act.on  be  past,  the  time  for  look- 
ing at  thmgs  as  they  really  are  is  at  least  always 
present  to  the  wise  nnn      T-.fi  ,       '"''■>^ 

Pbilm'.  f      ,      ^"'f"•     i^asthenes  uas  thus  called 
Phihp  s  fnend  untd  he  betrayed  Olynthus  to  him, 


[45-^1.] 


OX   BEHALF  OF    CTESIPHON. 


129 


I 


and  no  lonsrer.  And  Timolaus,  until  he  ruined 
Tliebes.  So  also  Eudicus  and  Simus  the  Larissians, 
until  they  had  placed  Thessaly  at  Philip's  feet.  After 
this,  the  Avorld  Λvas  filled  with  these  traitors,  driven 
away,  insulted,  and  a  prey  to  every  evil.  How^  did 
Aristratus  fore  in  Sikyon,  and  Perilaus  in  Megara? 
AVere  they  not  outcasts  ?  From  all  this  it  is  plain, 
^schines,  that  he  who  cherishes  his  country,  and  is 
ever  opposed  to  such  men  as  you,  really  enables  the 
traitor  and  the  venal  statesman  to  trade  upon  their 
corruption ;  for  it  is  through  the  people,  and  the  men 
who  are  opposed  to  your  designs,  that  you  continue 
safe  and  purchasable  ;  you  would  have  long  since 
been  ruined  by  your  own  conduct. 

I  had  still  much  more  to  say  about  these  matters, 
but  perhaps  I  have  said  too  much  already.  This  man, 
however,  is  the  cause  of  it ;  as  he  has  been  pouring 
out  upon  me  the  dregs  of  his  vile  abuse  and  injustice, 
it  was  necessary  I  should  defend  myself  against  it 
with  the  younger  portion  of  my  hearers,  who  are  new 
to  w^hat  took  place  so  long  ago.  You  are  all  doubt- 
less now  weary  of  it,  since  you  must  have  been  con- 
vinced of  his  having  been  in  Philip's  pay  before  I 
said  a  Avord  upon  the  subject.  lie  calls  it  friendship 
and  intimacy,  and  speaking  of  me  in  connection  Λvith 
it  a  little  while  ago,  he  said,  "  He  finds  fault  wath  my 
intimacy  with  Alexander."— I  talk  of  your  intimacy 
w^ith  Alexander  !  How  did  you  obtain  it,  and  what 
is  your  title  to  it  ?     I  never  called  you  the  friend  of 

11 


130 


DEMOSTHENES 


Philip,  or  the  intimate  of  Alexander.  I  have  not 
quite  lost  mv  senses.  You  might  as  well  speak  of 
the  reapers  and  hired  laborers  as  the  friends  and 
guests  of  their  employers.  But  this  is  impossil)le. 
I  did  call  you  the  hireling  first  of  Philip,  and  after- 
wards of  Alexander;  and  all  who  are  listening  know 
it  is  so.  If  you  doubt  it,  ask  them  ;  or  rather  I  will 
do  it  for  you.  Athenians,  which  is  ^Eschines,  Alex- 
ander's hired  man,  or  his  friend  ? — You  hear  their 
answer. 

I  now  desire,  however,  to  answer  the  charge  itself, 
and  to  speak  in  detail  about  my  public  life,  ^schines 
already  knows  it,  but  he  shall  hear  from  what  I  say 
that  I  happen  to  be  not  only  deserving  of  the  honors 
which  were  decreed  to  me,  but  of  rewards  very  much 
2:reater.     Read  the  accusation. 


ACCUSATION. 

"  In  the  archonship  of  Chaerondas,  on  the  sixth  clay  of  Ela- 
phebolion,  iEschines,  son  of  Atrometus,  of  Cotliocida?,  lodged 
with  the  Archon  an  accusation  against  Ctesiphon,  son  of  Le- 
osthenes,  the  Anaphlystian,  for  that  contrary  to  law  he  has 
brought  forward  a  decree  providing  that  Demosthenes,  son  of 
Demosthenes  the  Pieanian,  shall  be  crowned  with  a  golden 
crown,  proclamation  to  be  made  in  the  Theatre  during  the  Di- 
onysiac  festivals  while  the  new  tragedies  are  being  performed, 
that  the  people  crown  the  aforesaid  Demosthenes  with  a  golden 
crown  as  a  reward  for  his  virtue  and  the  good-will  which  he  has 
ever  displayed  towards  all  the  Greeks  and  the  people  of  Athens 
in  particular,  and  for  his  excellence  in  speech  and  action  in 
behalf  of  the  true  interests  of  the  people,  and  his  zeal  in  doing 


[51—58.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  131 

the  best  that  could  be  done ;  all  of  which  was  decreed  by  him 
falsely  and  contrary  to  law  ;  the  laws  in  the  first  place  forbidding 
falsehoods  to  be  injected  into  the  public  records;  next,  it  being 
unlawful  to  vote  a  crown  to  a  person  whose  accounts  have  not 
been  passed,  the  said  Demosthenes  being  still  a  Commissioner 
for  the  erection  of  walls,  and   Administrator  of  the  Theoric 
fund ;  and  lastly,  it  being  contrary  to  law  that  the  crowning  of 
any  one  should  be  proclaimed  at  the  Theatre  during  the  Di- 
onysiac  festivals  at  the  time  of  the  new  tragedies,  it  being  re- 
quired that  if  a  crown  be  voted  by  the  Council,  proclamation 
thereof  shall  be  made  in  the  Council  Chamber,  and  if  by  the 
City,  at  the  Pnyx  during  the  holding  of  an  Assembly.    The  fine 
incurred  is  fifty  talents.     Witnesses,  Kephisophon,  son  of  Ke- 
phisophon,  of  Rhamnus;  Cleon,  son  of  Cleon,  of  Cothocidae." 

This  is  what  is  charged,  Athenians,  against  the 
decree.  From  the  language  of  the  charge  itself,  I 
think  I  shall  make  it  clear  to  you  that  I  shall  be  able 
to  answer  it  successfully.  I  shall  pursue  the  same 
order  as  that  of  the  accusation,  and  meet  every  speci- 
fication in  detail,  omitting  nothing  purposely. 

As  the  decree  commends  me  for  having  always,  by 
word  and  deed,  acted  for  the  true  interest  of  Athens, 
and  for  having  zealously  accomplished  the  best  that 
was  in  my  power,  I  necessarily  regard  my  public  life 
as  placed  in  issue.  From  a  careful  review  of  it  it 
will  then  be  found  whether  Ctesiphon,  in  proposing 
what  he  did,  spoke  truly  or  falsely.  And  as  he  did 
not  direct  that  the  coronation  was  to  take  place  after 
I  had  given  in  my  accounts;  and  as  it  was  ordered  to 
be  done  in  the  theatre,  I  think  it  equally  plain  that 


132 


DEMOSTHENES 


this  referred  also  to  my  public  career,  and  whether  I 
was  deserving  or  not  of  this  honor,  and  of  its  being 
proclaimed  in  the  manner  mentioned.  I  deem  it 
however  proper  to  produce  tlie  laws  under  which 
Ctesiphon  was  authorized  to  decree  as  he  did.  I  shall 
then,  men  of  Athens,  make  my  defence  fairly  and 
frankly  in  this  way,  and  go  over  my  public  life  at 
some  length.  And  let  no  one  suppose  I  shall  be 
departing  from  the  scope  of  the  accusation  should 
I  touch  upon  matters  relating  to  the  afhiirs  of  Greece. 
In  attacking  the  decree  as  untruly  stating  that  I  did 
not  advise  and  perform  what  Λvas  best  for  my  coun- 
try, the  propounder  of  the  charge  has  made  my 
w^hole  policy  pertinent  and  even  necessary  to  its  dis- 
cussion. And  as  upon  my  entrance  into  public  life 
I  made  choice  of  the  department  of  the  ailairs  of 
Greece,  from  this  quarter  also  I  am  entitled  to  draw 
my  proofs. 

I  pass  by  altogether  what  Philip  had  gotten  and 
held  before  I  began  to  speak  and  to  take  part  in  af- 
fairs; with  this,  I  think,  I  have  no  concern.  But 
from  the  day  on  which  I  undertook  to  act  a  part,  in 
what  way  I  was  able  to  resist  his  plans  I  shall  men- 
tion in  detail,  first  premising,  however,  as  follows. 
Philip  had  one  enormous  advantage  in  this,  that 
throughout  Greece,  not  here  and  there  but  every- 
where, there  was  a  swarm  of  traitors  and  corrupt 
men,  detested  of  the  Gods,  such  as  theretofore  no 
one  could  recollect  havinor  ever  seen.     These  men  he 


ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


133 


[58—65.] 

made  use  of  as  co-workers  in  his  purpose,  and  what 
WBB  at  first  bad  enough  in  the  conduct  of  the  Greeks 
towards  each  other,  he  made  much  worse  by  deceiv- 
ing some,  purchasing  others,  and  corrupting  all  in 
various  ways.     He  thus  divided  them  into  an  hun- 
dred parties  when  there  should  have  been  but  a  single 
purpose  in  them  all,— to  resist  his  growing  greatness. 
In  this  conjuncture,  and  in  ignorance  of  the  existing 
and  increasing  evil  by  the  other  Greeks,  it  becomes 
us  to  consider  what  was  proper  for  the  City  to  do, 
and  to  hold  me  responsible  for  what  was  actually 
done.     For  it  was  I  who  settled  its  policy  in  this 

respect. 

ΛVas  the  City,  JSschines,  to  abjure  its  pride  and 
dio:nity,  and  to  imitate  the  Thessalians  and  Dolopians 
in\elping  Philip  to  obtain  the  headship  of  Greece, 
and  thus  to  set  at  nought  the  wise  and  glorious  pre- 
cedents of  our  ancestors?     Or  if  she  abstained  from 
doing  this,— this  would  indeed  have  been  shameful, 
— afrer  foreseeing  from  afar  what  would  inevitably 
take  place  unless  resisted,  was  she  to  disregard  it  alto- 
gether ?     And  here  I  would  willingly  ask  the  most 
envious  carper  at  what  has  been  done,  Avhich  side  he 
would  have  wished  the  City  to  embrace,— to  be  an 
instrument  in  bringing  about  the  calamities  and  dis- 
graces which  befell  Greece,  as  the  Thessalians  and 
those  who  worked  with  them  were,  or  to  ignore  to- 
tally what  was  taking  place  in  the  hope  of  purchasing 
their  own  security,  as  we  saw  the  Arcadians  and  Mes- 


134 


DEMOSTHENES 


senians  and  Argives  do?  Yet  most  of  these  States, 
or  in  fact  all  of  them,  suiFered  more  than  we.— Had 
Philip,  indeed,  after  his  success,  thought  proper  to 
retrace  his  steps,  and  to  remain  quiet,  neitlier  perse- 
cuting his  allies  nor  the  other  Greeks,  there  miirht 
have  been  grounds  for  the  accusation  \vhich  has  been 
brought  against  the  opponents  of  his  policy.  But 
when  he  was  aiming  to  strike  down  not  only  the 
glory,  the  power,  the  liberties  of  our  people,  but  their 
very  institutions  themselves  so  far  as  he  could,  can  it 
be  possible  that  in  following  my  advice  you  have  not 
pursued  the  most  honorable  course  ? 

But  I  return  to  this.— AMiat  did  it  behoove  the 
City,  ^schines,  to  do  when  it  saw  Philip  preparing 
to  obtain  the  command  and  empire  of  Greece? 
Vr\mt  did  it  become  me,  a  Counsellor  of  Athens,  to 
advise  by  words  or  by  decrees,  (this  is  the  vital 
point,) — I,  who  knew  my  country  had  always,  from 
the  earliest  times  down  to  the  very  hour  I  first  as- 
cended the  platform,  been  strivins:  for  the  hiHiest 
place  in  honor  and  glory,  and  with  a  noble  emuhition 
had  spent  more  treasure  and  given  more  lives  to 
assist  Greece  than  all  the  Greeks  together  had  done 
to  assist  themselves  ?— I,  who  saw  this  very  Philip, 
with  whom  you  were  contending  for  leadership  and 
mastery,  w^ith  one  eye  gone,  his  shoulder  shattered, 
maimed  of  a  hand  and  leg,  yet  freely  abandoning  to 
fortune  Avhatever  else  she  wanted  of  his  body,  if  he 
might  only  live  glorious  and  honored  with  what  was 


[65—71.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  135 

left?    iiot  only  this,  but  that  any  one  should  dare  to 
say  that  such  a  height  of  arrogance  could  enter  the 
breast  of  a  man  reared  at  Pella— a  little  spot  unknown 
to  Fame— as  to  aspire  to  or  even  conceive  of  attain- 
ing to  the  command  of  Greece ;  and  that  such  abject 
ba'^eness  was  yours,  Athenians,  who  saw  each  day,  in 
every  word  uttered,  and  in  every  spectacle  around 
you,  the  memorials  of  your  ancestors'  virtue,— that 
you'  could  abandon,  that  you  could  voluntarily  give 
up  to  Philip   the   liberties   of  Greece !— Impossible 
that  any  one  should  say  this !     You  were  then  all 
bound  to  oppose  this  man's  injustice  by  every  just 
means.     And  you  fairly  and  willingly  assumed  this 
from  the  start;    and  I  counselled,  and  I  wrote  de- 
crees,   and    I    contrived    according    to    my   ability 
throLurbout  all  this  time.     But  what  was  the  best 

thing  to  be  done  ?  '~ 

I  ask  you  again ;— put  aside  Amphipolis,  Pydna, 
Potidiva,  Halounesus,  and  the  rest,— I  make  no  men- 
tion of  them.     And  so  also  as  to  Serrium,  Doriscus, 
and  tlie  destruction  of  Peparethus,  and  whatever  else 
the  country  was  injured  in ;— I  care  not  if  they  took 
place.     And  yet  you  have  said  that  it  was  I  who,  in 
advisino;  as  to  these  things,  precipitated  the  Athenians 
into  hostility  with  Philip,  when  in  reality  the  decrees 
were  written  by  Eubulus  and  Aristophon  and  Dio- 
pithes,  not  by  me.     Oh  reckless  utterer  of  whatever 
you  choose  to  say  !-I  will  not  now,  however,  speak 
of  these  things.-But  when  Philip  appropriated  Eu- 


136 


DEMOSTHENES 


boea  to  himself,  making  use  of  it  as  an  objective  point 
against  Attica,  and  laid  his  hands  upon  Megara,  and 
captured  Oreus,  and  destroyed  Porthmus,  and  on  the 
one  side  established  Philistides  as  tvrant  in  Oreus 
and  on  the  other  Clitarchus  in  Eretria,  and  reduced 
the  Hellespont  under  his  control,  and  besieged  By- 
zantium, and  took  possession  of  some  Grecian  cities, 
and  put  back  in  others  the  fugitives  from  them,— was 
the  man  who  did  all  this,  acting  with  injustice  ?     And 
was  he  setting  his  engagements  at  nought?     And 
did  he  break  the  peace  or  not  ?     And  was  it  proper 
that  any  Grecian  State  should  try  to  prevent  all  this? 
If  it  was  not,  but  it  Λvas  right  that  Greece  should 
become  a  Mysian  prey,  the  Athenians   strong  and 
powerful  looking  on  meanwhile,  then  I  wasted  my 
breath  in  speaking  as  I  did,  and  the  City  wasted  its 
time  in  paying  attention  to  me,  and  all  that  was  done 
by  me  was  a  blunder  and  a  wrong.     But  if  it  Λva8 
right  for  any  of  the  Grecian  States  to  interfere  to 
prevent  all  this,  then  was   not  Athens  the   proper 
party  to  do  it?     I  did  direct  all  my  measures  to  this 
end;  I  did  oppose  this  man,  whom  I  saw  attempting 
to  enslave  every  people ;  and  both  by  my  Λvords  and 
by  my  teachings  I  did  advise  you  not  to  permit  all 
Greece  to  be  delivered  into  his  hands.     I  admit  all 
this. 

It  was  not  the  City,  however,  ^Eschines,  which 
broke  the  peace ;  it  was  Philip,  by  taking  our  ships. 
Bring  forward  the  decrees  and  Philip's  letter,  and 


[71—75.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  137 

read  them  consecutively ;   it  will  then  be  apparent 
who  was  the  cause  of  this. 

DECREE. 

"  In  the  archonship  of  Neocles,  in  the  month  Boedromion,  at 
an  extraordinary  Assembly  convened  by  the  generals,  Eubulus, 
son  of  I^Inesitheus,  of  Copras,  moved  that  whereas  the  generals 
had  announced  to  the  Assembly  that  Leodamas,  our  admiral, 
and  twenty  ships  under  his  command,  which  had  been  sent  to 
the  Hellespont  for  the  transport  of  corn,  had  been  carried  off  by 
Amyntas,  Philip's  general,  to  Macedonia,  and  there  kept  under 
guard,  the  senators  and  generals  should  provide  that  a  council 
be  called  to  choose  deputies  to  be  sent  to  Philip  to  ask  the  re- 
lease  of  our  admiral  and  ships  and  sailors.    And  if  it  shall 
appear  that  Amyntas  has  done  this  through  ignorance,  the 
Athenians  find  no  fault  with  him.     Or  if  it  be  alleged  that  he 
captured  Leodamas  because  he  was  transgressing  his  orders,  the 
Athenians  will  examine  into  it,  and  punish  him  according  to 
the  measure  of  his  offence.     But  if  neither  of  these  things  be 
the  cause,  and  the  wrong  has  been  done  by  the  orders  either  of 
Philip  or  his  lieutenant,  then  the  deputies  shall  report  this,  so 
that  the  people  may  consider  the  matter  and  advise  as  to  what 
ought  to  be  done." 

This  decree  was  written  by  Eubulus,  not  by  me. 
And  then  came  Aristophon  Avith  another,  and  Hege- 
sippus  with  his,  then  Aristophon  again,  then  Phi- 
locrates,  then  Kephisophon,  then  all  the  others  with 
theirs.     But  I  proposed  none.     Bead  again. 

DECREE. 

« In  the  archonship  of  Neocles,  on  the  last  day  of  Boedromion, 
the  senators  and  generals  brought  and  submitted  to  the  opinion 


138 


DEMOSTHENES 


of  the  Council  the  decree  of  the  Assembly  that  it  had  seemed 
proper  to  the  people  that  deputies  should  be  sent  to  Philip  in 
regard  to  the  return  of  our  ships,  and  that  instructions  be  given 
to  them  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  Assembly's  decree.  The 
following  persons  were  chosen :  Kephisophon,  son  of  Cleon,  the 
Anaphlystian ;  Democritus,  son  of  Demophon,  the  Anagyrasian; 
Polycritus,  son  of  Apemantes,  the  Cothocidian.  In  the  presi- 
dency of  the  tribe  Hippothoontis,  Aristophon,  of  Collytta, 
moving  the  decree." 

I  have  now  produced  these  decrees,  and  do  you, 
^schines,  if  you  can,  produce  any  whicli  I  Avrote 
which  caused  the  war.  You  cannot.  If  you  could 
you  would  have  been  ready  enough  witli  it.  Even 
Philip  never  accused  me  of  this,  blaniini;  others  as 
the  authors  of  the  war.     Read  Philip's  letter  now. 

LETTER. 

e 

"Philip,  King  of  Macedon,  to  the  Council  and  people  of 
Athens,  Greeting.  The  deputies  sent  by  you  to  me,  Kephiso- 
phon, and  Democritus,  and  Polycritus,  have  complained  about 
the  capture  of  your  ships  under  the  command  of  Leodamas. 
You  seem  to  me  to  be  very  simple  if  you  think  I  am  ignorant 
that  your  sending  these  ships  to  transport  corn  from  the  Helles- 
pont to  Lemnos  was  a  pretext,  it  being  in  reality  to  assist  the 
Selymbrians  who  were  besieged  by  me  and  who  were  not  in- 
cluded in  our  common  treaties  of  friendship.  And  this  was 
done  without  the  knowledge  of  the  people  by  your  admiral 
acting  under  the  orders  of  certain  men  who  control  your  affairs 
and  of  others  not  now  in  office  but  who  desire  in  every  way, 
notwithstanding  our  existing  friendship,  that  you  should  be  at 
war  with  me,  being  much  more  anxious  to  bring  this  about  than 
to  aid  the  Selymbrians,  and  because  they  also  believe  they  would 


[75—81.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  139 

make  profit  out  of  it.  It  seems  to  me,  however,  it  will  neither 
be  of  service  to  you  nor  to  me.  I  return  your  ships  to  you,  and 
if  for  the  future  you  will  not  suffer  the  men  at  the  head  of 
afliiiirs  to  advise  you  badly  but  will  disgrace  them,  I  on  my  part 
ΛΥΪΙΙ  endeavor  to  preserve  the  peace.     Farewell." 

In  no  manner,  you  see,  did  he  accuse  Demosthenes, 
nor  in  any  way  inculpate  him.     AVhy  was  it,  then, 
that  when  he  was  finding  fault  with  all  the  others,  he 
made  no  reference  to  anything  which  had  been  done 
by  me?     Because  in  attacking  me  he  would  have 
brought  forward  the  remembrance  of  his  own  injus- 
tice.    Those  acts  of  wrong  I  had  always  set  myself 
against,  those  perfidies  I  had  always  opposed.    AYhen 
Philip  first  stole  into  Peloponnesus,  I  sent  thither 
an  embassy ;  so  also  did  I  to  Euboea,  when  he  was 
trying  to  pounce  upon  that  island  ;  and  when  he  was 
endeavoring  to  establish  tyrants  in  Oreus  and  Eretria, 
I  sent  thither  no  embassies,  but  military  expeditions. 
I  then  despatched  the  fieets  by  which  Chersonnesus, 
Byzantium,  and  all  our  allies  were  saved. 

In  consequence  of  this,  there  flowed  in  upon  you 
from  the  States  which  you  had  thus  relieved,  praise, 
glory,  honors,  crowns,  thanks,  the  highest  commen- 
dations. Of  those  who  had  been  wronged  and  who 
had  heeded  your  advice  the  safety  was  assured;  those 
who  had  neglected  to  follow  what  you  had  so  often 
tried  to  impress  upon  them,  now  found  out  that  you 
had  not  only  been  well  disposed  to  them,  but  came  to 
look  upon  you  as  wise  and  far-seeing  men :  every- 


140 


DEMOSTHENES 


thing  fell  out  as  you  had  predicted.    AVhat  would  not 
Philistides  have  given  to  have  kept  Oreus,  or  Cli- 
tarchus  to  have  kept  Eretria,  or  Philip,  himself,  to 
have  had  these  cities  under  his  control,  so  that  he 
could  use  them  against  you ;— to  have  had  no  one  to 
call  him  to  account  for  his  other  misdeeds,  no  censor 
to  overlook  and  control  him  in  his  acts  of  injustice  ? 
^o  one  feels  any  doubt  as  to  this,  and  nobody  less 
than  you,  -^schines.     For  the  envoys  wlio  were  sent 
hither  by  Philistides  and  Clitarchus  took  up  their 
quarters  with  you,  you  were  their  host.     AVhen  the 
City  dismissed  them  as  enemies  who  were  proposino• 
unjust  things,  you  stood  their  friend.     But  none  of 
those  things  Avas  done,  calumniator  of  my  conduct, 
who  assert  that  I  am  silent  when  my  hands  are  full, 
but  that  I  cry  out  when  they  are  empty !     You,  on 
the  contrary,  cry  out  when  your  hands  are  full ;  and 
will  never  cease  until  your  fellow-citizens  shall  stop 
your  mouth  by  a  sentence  of  disgrace.     It  was  then 
that  you,  my  fellow-citizens,  crowned  me  for  what  I 
had  done,  and  Aristonieus  wrote  the  decree  in  the 
self-same  words  which  Ctesiphon   has  used   in   the 
present  one.     The  proclamation  was  ordered  to  be 
made  in  the  Theatre;   and  although  I  received  the 
honor  for  the  second  time,  and  ^schines  was  pres- 
ent, he  brought  no  accusation  against  the  mover  of 
the  decree.     Read  it  here. 


[81—86.] 


ON   BEHALF  OF   CTESIPHON. 


141 


DECREE. 

"  In  the  archonship  of  Chaerondas,  son  of  Hegemon,  on  the 
twenty-fifth  day  of  Gamelion,  during  the  presidency  of  the  tribe 
Leontis,  Aristonieus  of  Phrearrii  moved  that  Demosthenes,  son 
of  Demosthenes  of  Pseania,  having  re^idered  many  and  great 
services  to  the  Athenian  people,  and  heretofore  to  many  of  their 
allies,  and  having  at  the  present  time  aided  them  by  decrees, 
and  brought  about  the  freedom  of  certain  cities  in  Euboea,  and 
having   persevered  in  his  good-will  to  the  City,  and  said  and 
done  what  was  best  for  the  Athenians  and  all  the  Greeks,  it  be 
decreed  by  the  Council  and  people  of  Athens  that  the  said  De- 
mosthenes be  publicly  praised  and  crowned  with  a  golden  crown, 
and  that  the  crown  be  conferred  upon  him  in  the  Theatre  at  the 
Dionysiac  festivals,  at  the  representation  of  the  new  tragedies. 
The  presiding  tribe  and  the  Master  of  the  Games  shall  take 
charge  of  the  proclamation.  Aristonieus  of  Phrearrii  has  brought 
forward  the  decree." 

Do  any  of  you  see  that  by  the  passage  of  this 
decree  the  City  disgraced  herself,  or  laid  herself  open 
to  the  sneers  or  ridicule  which  this  man  says  will  be 
levelled  at  her  if  I  am  now  crowned  ?  And  yet  when 
the  matter  was  recent  and  understood  by  every  one, 
had  it  been  well  done  it  would  have  met  with  thanks; 
had  it  been  ill  done  it  would  have  received  censure. 
At  that  time,  at  least,  I  appear  to  have  received 
commendation,  not  dispraise  or  dishonor. 

The  time  in  Avhich  these  things  took  place,  I  call 
all  to  witness,  Avas  at  least  a  period  when  I  was  ac- 
knowledged to  have  been  doing  everything  in  the 
City's  interest:  a  period  in  which  I  was  in  the  as- 


142 


DEMOSTHENES 


and  ^^hen   bj  my  decrees  being  carried  into  effect 
honors  and  crowns  were  in  consequence  voted  To  tit 

I    οΓίΓΓ"""  "'"  '"'^'^  ''^•  ^•*'"  *"  ^he  Gods  on 
account  oi  our  successes. 

Philip  being  tbus  dri'ven   out  of  EubcBa  by  your 

say,  though  some  of  you  should  burst  at  heariu.  it 
he  sought  to  engineer  a  now  device  against  tie"  iitT 
Know,ng  that  you  consumed  more  foreign  corn  S  m 

thej  refused,  saymg,  and  saying  truly,  that  their 
alhance  was  not  for  any  such  purpose,  Ρ  ilin  „  ned 
Z'^J'Z  :•"":•^'  --""vallatio'n   abo'ut  the 

et     ?'n'   fΓ^  "  '"-"""  '^°^^"'  — -ced  its 
siege.     I  need  hardly  ask  what  was  your  duty  in  this 

conjuncture :  it  was  clear  to  all.     4uo  was  it  ",  t 
ever,  who  brought  relief  to  H,« -R         .•       ""  "' ''°"- 
them '    Whr.,       ■!     ,  %=^antmes  and  saved 

non?f  '  '*  ''''°  *^"'^  mventcd  the  Helles- 

Ta   τοΓλ!Γ"°  ""'"  *'^^  ''^"^-'  °f  -other?    It 

iitv       '  ΤΓ"''"'  ""'  "'""  ^  '^y  y^^  I  "lean  the 
Cit^    And  who  was  it  that  was  speaking,  and  decree 
ng  and  act.ng  in  the  City's  behalf,  giving  hims    f" 
to  her  entirely  and  without  reserve  ?    It  tvasT     τΖ 
great  things  which  were  then  done  in  ai         al7you 


[86—91.] 


ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


143 


cannot  learn  from  Λvor(ls  alone, — from  the  work  itself 
you  have  approved  them.  That  war,  apart  from  the 
glory  which  it  conferred,  brought  to  you  a  more  abun- 
dant supply  of  all  the  necessaries  of  life  at  cheaper 
rates  than  this  present  peace  made  against  the  City's 
interests,  which  ^schines  and  his  friends, — excellent 
men  ! — with  their  hopes  for  the  future,  have  guarded 
80  zealously,  hopes  which  I  trust  they  may  be  dis- 
appointed in  !  Let  them  partake  with  you  of  the  good 
which  you  are  asking  of  the  Gods,  but  let  there  not 
be  meted  out  to  you  any  of  the  things  which  they 
have  been  desiring !  Eead  here  to  them  the  crowns 
Λvhich  the  Bvzantines  and  Perinthians  voted  to  the 
City  in  consequence  of  its  services. 

DECREE  OF  THE  BYZANTINES. 

"  Tn  the  presbytership  of  Bosporichus,  Damagetus  moved  in 
the  Assembly,  with  the  consent  of  the  Council,  as  follows: 
Whereas  the  Athenian  people  has  in  the  past  displayed  its  good- 
will to  the  Bvzantines  and  to  their  allies  and  relatives  the  Pe- 
rinthians,  and  has  frequently  sent  them  great  assistance;  and 
whereas  when  Philip  of  Macedon  was  recently  invading  the 
land,  threatening  to  destroy  their  cities,  firing  the  country,  and 
cutting  down  the  plantations,  the  Athenians  sent  to  their  relief 
one  hundred  and  twenty  ships,  provisions,  arms,  and  troops,  and 
saved  them  from  their  great  peril,  preserving  for  them  their 
form  of  government,  their  laws,  and  their  tombs,  it  is  ordered 
that  there  be  conferred  by  the  Byzantines  and  Perinthians  upon 
the  Athenians  the  rights  of  intermarriage,  citizenship,  property, 
and  domicile,  the  first  seats  at  the  public  games,  the  privilege  of 
entering  first  in  the  Senate  and  Assembly  after  the  sacrifices. 


144 


DEMOSTHENES 


and  to  those  who  wish  to  reside  in  their  cities  the  right  to  do  so 
exempted  from  public  burthens.  Moreover,  three  statues,  six- 
teen cubits  in  height,  shall  be  erected  upon  the  Bosphorus, 
representing  the  people  of  Athens  crowned  by  the  people  of 
Byzantium  and  Perinthus,  and  deputations  shall  be  sent  to  the 
public  meetings  of  the  Greeks  at  the  Isthmian,  Nemean,  Olym- 
pian, and  Pythian  games,  where  proclamation  shall  be  made  of 
the  crowns  decreed  by  us  to  the  Athenians,  that  the  assembled 
Greeks  may  be  certified  of  the  virtue  of  the  Athenians,  and  of 
the  gratitude  of  the  Byzantines  and  Perinthians." 

Read  now  the  decree  of  the  people  of  Chersoiinesus 
voting  crowns  to  the  Athenians. 

DECREE  OF  THE  CHERSOXNESIANS. 

"  The  people  of  Chersonnesus,  inhabiting  Sestos,  Eleus,  Mady- 
tus,  and  Alopeconesus,  crown  the  council  and  people  of  Athens 
with  a  golden  crown,  of  the  value  of  sixty  talents ;  and  they 
will  furthermore  erect  an  altar  to  Gratitude  and  to  the  Athenian 
people,  as  having  conferred  upon  them  the  greatest  possible 
good,  in  rescuing  them  from  Philip,  and  preserving  to  them 
their  country,  their  laws,  their  liberties,  and  their  temples. 
Thus,  in  all  time  to  come,  their  gratitude  and  their  desire 
to  do  every  good  in  their  power  to  the  Athenians  shall  not  fail. 
Decreed  in  general  assembly." 

Tlius,  not  only  were  Chersonnesus  and  Byzantium 
saved,  and  the  Hellespont  kept  from  Philip's  control ; 
not  only  was  the  City  honored  by  what  my  measures 
and  my  policy  had  effected,  but  to  the  whole  world 
were  exhibited  her  magnanimity  and  Philip's  base- 
ness.    AVhat  more  disgraceful  and  scandalous  spec- 


[91—96.]  OX   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHO-N.  145 

taclc    than   that  their  friend    and    ally    should  be 
besieging   the  Byzantines  ?    AVhilst  you,  who  had 
just  reason  to  blame  them  for  the  many  acts  of  un- 
friendliness  they   had   formerly   committed   against 
you    were   now   seen   not  only  bearing   no   malice 
against  them ;  not  only  passing  over  their  wrongful 
conduct,  but  actually  coming  forward  as  their  pre- 
servers.    For  this,  honor,  glory,  renown,  were  lav- 
ished: upon  you  from  every  side.     We  all  know  that 
many  public  men  had  theretofore  been  crowned  by 
you ;  but  when  could  it  be  shewn  before  my  day  that 
the  City  itself  had  received  a  crown  through  one  of 
its  counsellors  and  orators  ? 

As  to  the  abuse  which  ^schines  has  been  pouring 
out  against  the  Eubcoans  and  Byzantines,  while  he 
has  been  reminding  you  of  every  unfriendly  act  they 
ever  peri^etrated  against  you,  I  shall  shew  it  to  be 
malicious  and  false,  as  I  suppose  you  yourselves  are 
already  satisfied.     Had  it  been  true,  it  was  necessary 
for  us  I  should  have  acted  in  the  matter  as  I  did.     In 
proof  of  this  I  wish  to  present  one  or  two  instances 
of  noble  acts  performed  by  you,  and  this  very  briefly. 
And  we  must  recollect,  that  as  with  the  individual  in 
private  life,  so  must  the  City  in  its  public  career 
always  strive  to  make  its  future  conduct  emulate  the 
glories  of  the  past.     AVhen  the  Lacedemonians  were 
all-powerful  by  sea  and  land,  and  had  surrounded 
Attica  with  their  governors  and  garrisons,  having 
taken  Euboea,  Tanagra,  all  Boeotia,  Megara,  Egina, 

12 


146 


DEMOSTHENES 


Cleonpe,  and  the  other  islands,  you,  Athenians,  al- 
though the  City  was  destitute  both  of  ships  and 
walls,  did  not  hesitate  to  march  to  the  aid  of  ITali- 
artus,  and  again,  a  few  days  later,  to  Corinth.  You 
might  then  have  recalled  the  many  grievances  you 
had  to  complain  of  both  from  the  Corinthians  and 
the  Thebans  for  their  conduct  in  the  Dekelian  war. 
But  you  did  not, — far  from  it.  Nor  on  either  of 
these  occasions  did  you  act  from  gratitude,  or  from 
ignorance  of  the  peril.  But  it  did  not,  ^schines, 
make  the  Athenians  abandon  those  who  implored 
them  for  assistance.  From  a  sense  of  honor,  from  a 
love  of  glory,  they  encountered  the  emergency,  act- 
ing wisely  as  well  as  magnanimously.  For  as  death 
is  the  limit  of  life  to  every  one,  let  him  hide  himself 
Avhere  he  may  in  some  obscure  hole,  it  becomes  all 
gallant  men  to  strive  for  what  is  noble,  holding  up 
high  hope  before  them,  but  resolved  to  bear  firmly 
whatever  the  Gods  shall  award  to  them. 

Such  was  vour  ancestors'  course,  such  the  course 
of  the  elder  amongst  yourselves.  For  when  the 
Thebans  in  the  height  of  their  power  after  Leuctra 
undertook  to  destroy  the  Lacedemonians,  who  had 
never  been  either  friendly  or  even  well-disposed  to 
you,  but  on  the  contrary  had  inflicted  many  and 
great  wrongs  upon  ^'our  City,  you  prevented  it.  You 
were  neither  deterred  by  the  dread  of  the  power  or 
reputation  of  the  Thebans;  nor  did  you  stop  to  think 
Λvhat  the  men  for  whom  you  were  incurring  danger 


[96—101.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   (TTESIPHON.  147 

had  formerly  done  against  you.  You  thus  shewed 
all  Greece  that  if  any  people  had  ofl:ended  you  you 
reserved  your  anger  for  another  time,  but  did  not 
recall  and  dwell  upon  it  when  danger  menaced  their 
safety  or  their  freedom. 

Nor  were  these  the  only  instances  of  such  behavior 
on  your  part.  When  the  Thebans  recently  attempted 
to  get  possession  of  Euboea,  you  would  not  permit 
it,  but,  forgetting  the  injuries  of  Themison  and  Theo- 
dorus  in  regard  to  Oropus,  you  succored  even  these 
very  men.  This  was  at  the  time  we  had  voluntary 
trierarchs,  of  whom  I  was  one ;  but  it  is  not  neces- 
sary to  speak  now  of  this.    , 

You  did  well  in  saving  the  island;  but  you  did  far 
better  in  honorably  restoring  to  those  who  had  of- 
fended you  their  cities  and  their  inhabitants  of  which 
you  had  made  yourselves  masters,  forgetting  all  their 
injuries  from  the  time  they  had  reposed  their  trust  in 
you.     I  omit  to  mention  a  thousand  other  like  in- 
stances, engagements  by  sea  and  by  land,  expeditions 
of  all  kinds,  undertaken  long  ago  by  our  fathers, 
recently  by  yourselves,  all  for  the  safety  and  the  lib- 
erties of  the  other  Greeks. 

And  I  who  had  seen  the  City  willing  to  exert  her- 
self on  all  these  occasions  for  the  safety  of  others, 
what  kind  of  advice  did  it  become  me  to  ofler  to  her 
when  it  concerned  herself?  To  cherish  enmity  against 
those  who  desired  to  be  saved  by  her,  and  to  seek  for 
pretexts  by  which  we  might  have  betrayed  the  com- 


148 


DEMOSTHENES 


mon  cause  ?  Ju3t  heaven !  AVho  would  not  have 
rightly  put  me  to  death,  had  I  attempted  even  by 
speech  thus  to  tarnish  the  glories  which  belonged  to 
the  City  ?  I  knew  well  that  you  could  not  of  your- 
selves have  committed  a  dishonorable  action.  TTad 
you  desired  to  do  so,  who  was  there  to  hinder  you? 
Was  it  not  in  your  power  ?  And  were  not  these  evil 
counsellors  always  present  ? 

I  will  now  return  to  the  next  in  order  of  my  public 
acts.     And  I  desire  you  to  look  closely  whether  I 
acted  therein  for  the  State's  best  interests.     I  saw, 
Athenians,  that  your  navy  was  deteriorating;    the 
rich  were  exempt  from  all  but  paltry  contributions  to- 
wards its  support,  while  by  the  assessments  upon  them 
the  owners  of  moderate  properties  and  the  poorer 
classes  were  almost  stripped  of  their  estates,  and  yet 
the  City  was  going  behindhand.     I  therefore  had  a 
law  passed  by  Λvhich  the  wealthy  were  compelled  to 
contribute  equitably  and  the  poor  were  relieved  from 
oppression,  the  City  being  greatly  the  gainer  by  the 
work  being  done  in  good  season.     Being  impeached 
for  this,  I  appealed  to  you,  and  the  prosecutor  did 
not  receive  the  fifth  part  of  the  votes.     AVhat  sum  of 
money  do  you  imagine  the  heads  of  the  Synmiories, 
and  those  next  to  them,  and  even  third  in  order, 
offered  to  me,  rather  than  have  this  law  passed,  or  to 
get  it  withdrawn  when  the  prosecution  against  me 
began  ?     It  Avas  so  large  that  I  dare  hardly  name  it 
to  you.     And  yet  they  acted  prudently  in  doing  so. 


[101-106.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  149 

For  l)y  the  old  law  sixteen  of  them  being  chargeable 
to-ether,  the  contribution   of  each  single  one  was 
little  or  nothing,  the  poorer  citizens  being  ground  to 
powder.     By  my  law  each  citizen  was  rated  accord- 
in-  to  his  property,  and  he  who  had  been  formerly  a 
contributory  of  only  a  sixteenth  was  now  the  trier- 
arch  of  even  two  ships.     For  they  had  even  ceased 
to  be  called  trierarchs,  but  styled  themselves  contrib- 
utories.     So  that  to  get  rid  of  these  burthens,  and 
to  escape  their  just  liabilities,  there  is  nothmg  they 
ΛVOuld  not  have  given.    Read  now,  first,  the  decree 
under  which  I  was  prosecuted,  and  then  the  operative 
parts  of  the  old  law,  and  the  one  proposed  by  me. 

DECREE. 

'.  In  the  archonship  of  Polycles,  on  the  sixteenth  day  of  Boe- 
dromion,  during  the  presidency  of  the  tribe  H.ppothoont. 
.  Demosthenes,  son  of  Demosthenes  the  Piean.an,  proposed  a  law 
Γη  regard  to  trierarchs,  in  place  of  the  old  law  of  contr,bu,«nes 
to  trierarchs.  It  was  passed  by  the  Council  ''"^People  where- 
upon Patrocles  of  Phlyus  impeached  Demosthenes  but  not 
receiving  the  requisite  number  of  votes,  he  has  paid  the  fine 
of  five  hundred  drachmas." 

Read  now  the  honest  schedule  of  the  old  law  ! 

SCHEDULE. 
«The  trierarchs  shall  be  appointed  sixteen  to  each  trireme 
from  the  contributories  in  the  Companies,  from  twen  y-five 
years  of  age  up  to  forty,  each  contributing  equally  to  the 
expense." 

Read  now  the  enacting  part  of  my  law. 


150 


DEMOSTHENES 


SCHEDULE. 

"Trierarchs  shall  be  chosen  for  a  trireme  according  to  the 
valuation  of  their  property,  the  rate  being  fixed  at  ten  talents. 
Should  properties  be  valued  in  excess  of  this  sum,  let  the  charge 
go  up  as  high  as  three  ships  and  a  tender,  according  to  assess- 
ment. In  the  same  ratio  let  those  whose  properties  are  assessed 
below  ten  talents  contribute  together  until  that  sum  is  reached." 

Do  I  seem,  then,  Athenians,  to  have  assisted  the 
poorer  chisses  in  a  slight  degree,  or  would  the  r'ch 
have  given  a  small  amount  of  money  to  have  escaped 
their  just  hurthen  ?  I  have  a  right,  therefore,  to  claim 
credit  not  only  for  not  having  yielded  in  this  matter, 
and  for  having  escaped  the  impeachment,  hut  for 
having  introduced  a  profitahle  law  Λvhich  was  found 
by  experience  to  suit  the  work  in  hand.  During  the 
whole  war  our  naval  expeditions  Λvere  fitted  out  under 
this  law  of  mine,  and  not  only  no  trierarch  sought 
exemption  from  it  of  you  as  unjust,  or  took  refuge 
from  it  in  Munychia,  or  was  imprisoned  by  the  su- 
perintendents of  marine,  but  no  ship  was  ever  aban- 
doned at  sea  to  the  City's  loss,  nor  was  any  left  in 
port  from  inability  to  get  away,  all  of  which  had 
often  occurred  under  the  old  law.  And  the  reason 
was  that  the  tax  pressed  too  heavily  upon  those  who 
were  unable  to  bear  it,  and  impossibilities  could  not 
be  achieved. 

I  transferred  the  trierarchies  from  the  poor  to  the 
rich,  and  all  that  was  wanted  was  at  once  found  done. 
And  not  only  do  I  deserve  credit  because  I  laid  down 


^106-111.]         ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  151 

a  line  of  policy  from  which  honor,  and  reputation, 
and  power  accrued  to  the  City,  but  no  single  measure 
of  mine  was  mean,  or  rigorous,  or  base,  or  hard,  or 
unworthy  of  the  State.     This  was  my  plain  course 
not  onl/in  matters  regarding  the  City,  but  in  what 
affected  Greece  generally.     In  our  own  aftairs  I  did 
not  set  the  favor  of  the  wealthy  above  the  City  s 
interests;  nor  in  the  affairs  of  Greece  did  I  prefer 
Philip's  gifts  and  allurements  to  the   common   ad- 
vantage of  all  the  Greeks. 

It  remains  for  me  to  speak  about  the  proclamation 
and  my  accounting,  for  I  think  it  sufficiently  clear, 
from  what  I  have  said,  that  I  have  always  done  the 
best  for  you,  and  that  I  have  been  throughout  well- 
disposed  and  zealous  in  your  service.     I  shall,  there- 
fore, pass  over  my  most  important  public  acts,  first, 
because  it  is  proper  that  I  should  now  speak  upon 
the  question  of  illegality;  next,  should  I  say  nothing 
further  about  them,  your  own  consciousness  of  them 

shall  equally  avail  me. 

As  to  most  of  ^Eschines's  muddled  statements  about 

the  laws  contradicting  the  decree  in  my  behalf,  1 
think,  by  heavens,  that  neither  you  could  understand 
what  he  said,  nor  I,  I  am  sure,  follow  them  at  a  1.  I 
will  give  you,  however,  a  plain  rule  by  which  to  try 
this  question.  I  am  so  far  from  saying  the  contrary, 
as  he  has  just  been  slanderously  charging  me  with 
that  I  now  admit  I  shall  hold  myself  accountable  all 
my  life  for  whatever  I  have  taken  in  hand  and  man- 


152 


DEMOSTHENES 


aged  for  you.  But  for  what  I  have  given  from  my 
own  private  fortune  to  the  people,  I  say, — do  you 
hear,  w^schines? — I  liave  never  been  accountable  for  a 
single  day  :  nor  would  any  one  else  be,  were  he  even 
one  of  the  nine  archons.  AVhere  can  be  found  the 
laAV  so  stuffed  with  harshness  and  injustice  as  first  to 
rob  of  thanks  the  man  who  in  giving  out  of  his  pri- 
vate means  performs  a  beneficent  and  liberal  act,  and 
then  turn  him  over  to  an  account  before  malit^nants 
of  what  he  has  thus  given  ?  There  cannot  be.  If  he 
says  there  is,  let  him  shew^  it ;  I  shall  be  satisfied  and 
hold  my  peace.  There  never  was  such  a  law,  Athe- 
nians ;  but  this  libeller  says,  because  I  was  adminis- 
tering the  Theoric  fund  at  the  time  I  so  gave,  "  the 
Council  has  honored  him  while  he  was  still  account- 
able." Oh  Calumniator,  it  Avas  not  for  anything  for 
which  I  was  accountable,  but  in  regard  to  my  free- 
will oiferings!  But  again,  he  says,  ''you  were  a 
commissioner  for  repairing  the  walls."  And  for  this 
very  thing  I  w^as  rightly  commended  ;  for  I  gave 
what  was  expended  upon  them,  without  reckoning 
Λvith  the  public.  A  reckoning  requires  the  exhibi- 
tion of  accounts  and  their  settlement;  but  a  free  gift 
merits  thanks  and  commendation.  And  it  was  for 
this  that  Ctesiphon  brought  forward  his  decree;  from 
an  hundred  instances  I  shall  shew  that  this  has  been  so 
settled,  not  only  by  your  laws,  but  by  your  equitable 
practice. 
First,  Nausicles,   the    general,    was    many   times 


[111—116.1  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  153    « 

crowned  by  you  for  what  he  gave  to  the  public  out 
of  his  own  property.  So  when  Diotimus  gave 
shields,    and    again    Charidemus,    they    were    both 

crowned. 

So,   also,  Neoptolemus,    here    present,   who   was 
superintendent  of  many  public  works,  was  frequently 
honored  for  what  lie  gave  towards  them.     Hard  m- 
dced  would  it  be  were  it  not  permitted  to  one  ex- 
ercising a  public   employment  to  give  of  his  own 
means  to  the  City  towards  the  work  in  hand,  or  to 
be  compelled  to  render  an  account  of  it  instead  of 
receiving  thanks  for  his  liberality.     To  prove  the 
correctness  of  my  assertions,  take  the  decrees  passed 
in  rco-ard  to  these  citizens,  and  read  them. 

DECREE. 
"  Ih  the  archonship  of  Demonicua  of  Phlyus,  on  the  twenty- 
sixth  day  of  Boedromion,  by  the  advice  of  the  Council  and 
People  Callias  of  Phrearrii  moved  as  follows:  The  Council  and 
People'  think  it  pro,.er  that  Nausicles,  the  general  of  arms,  be 
crowned,  because  when  two  thousand  Athenian  heavy-armed 
troops  were  in  Imbros  to  assist  the  Athenian  colonists  in  that 
island,  and  Philo  charged  with  the  supplies  was  prevented  by 
stormy  weather  from  sailing  thither  and  paying  them,  Nausic  es 
relieved  them  out  of  his  own  funds  without  making  any  recla- 
mation upon  the  City:   proclamation  of  the  coronation  to  be 
made  at  the  Dionysiac  festivals  at  the  representation  of  the  new 

tragedies." 

ANOTHER  DECREE. 

"  The  Senators  declaring  it  to  be  by  the  advice  of  the  Council, 
Callias  of  Phrearrii  moved  as  follows :    Whereas  Charidemus, 


W 


154 


DEMOSTHENES 


commander  of  the  heavy-armed  troops  when  in  Salamis,  and 
Diotimus,  commander  of  the  cavalry,  certain  of  our  troops 
having  been  despoiled  of  their  arms  by  the  enemy  in  the  en- 
gagement by  the  river,  supplied  the  young  soldiery  out  of  their 
own  private  means  with  shields  to  the  number  of  eight  hundred, 
it  is  decreed  by  the  Council  and  people  that  Charidemus  and 
Diotimus  shall  be  crowned  with  golden  crowns,  proclamation  of 
the  coronation  to  be  made  at  the  great  Panathenaic  festivals 
during  the  gymnastic  games,  and  at  the  Dionysiac  festivals 
during  the  representation  of  the  new  tragedies.  The  junior 
archons,  the  Senators,  and  the  Masters  of  the  Games  will  take 
charge  of  the  proclamation.'.' 

Each  of  these  citizens,  while  accountable  in  regard 
to  the  employments  wliich  he  exercised,  was  not  so 
as  to  the  matters  for  which  he  was  crowned.  Nor  I 
either. — For  what  was  just  and  proper  in  their  case 
is  surely  equally  so  in  mine.  I  gave ; — I  was  com- 
mended for  this; — nor  was  I  to  be  accountable  for 
what  I  had  thus  given. — I  exercised  a  public  charge  ; 
— I  rendered  my  accounts  of  this; — not  of  what  I 
gave.  But  by  Jove,  say  you,  I  exercised  my  charge 
unfairly.— AYhy  then,  I  ask,  did  you  not,  as  you  were 
present  when  the  auditors  passed  my  accounts,  object 

to  them  ? 

But  that  you  may  see  that  he  himself  testifies  for 
me  that  I  was  crowned  for  what  I  was  not  account- 
able for,  look  at  the  whole  decree  wliich  was  written 
in  my  behalf,  and  from  what  he  has  not  attacked 
in  it  his  malignity  will  be  evident  in  wliat  he  has 
attacked.     Read  it. 


[116—120.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON. 


155 


DECREE. 

-  In  the  archonship  of  Euthycles,  on  the  twenty-second  day  of 
the  month  Pyanepsion,  in  the  presidency  of  the  tribe  (Eneis, 
Ctesiphon,  son  of  Leosthenes  the  Anaphlystian,  moved  as  fol- 
io^• Whereas  Demosthenes,  son  of  Demosthenes  the  P^anian, 
whilst  he  was  superintendent  of  the  repair  of  the  walls,  gave  to  the 
people  three  talents  of  his  own  money  towards  the  prosecution  of 
the  work,  and  also  whilst  he  was  administrator  of  the  Theoric 
fund  gave  to  the  sacred  envoys  for  their  sacrifices  one  hundred 
min«,  it  is  decreed  by  the  Council  and  people  pf  Athens  that 
the  said  Demosthenes,  son  of  Demosthenes  the  Paeanian,  be  com- 
mended for  the  public  spirit  and  good  feeling  ever  manifested  by 
him  to  the  Athenian  people,  and  that  he  be  crowned  with  a 
golden  crown,  the  coronation  to  be  proclaimed  in  the  Theatre  at 
the  Dionysiac  festivals  during  the  representation  of  the  new  tra- 
gedies.   The  Masters  of  the  Games  will  see  to  the  proclamation. 

It  was  not,  then,  for  anything  Λvhich  I  gave  that 
you  attacked  the  decree :  it  is  for  what  the  Council 
resolved  should  be  done  to  me  for  what  I  gave  that 
you  arraigned  it.  The  receiving  of  the  gifts  from 
me  he  therefore  admits  to  be  within  the  law ;— it  is 
the  conferring  of  thanks  for  the  gifts  which  he  ac 
cuses  as  against  the  law.  A\niere,  in  the  name  of 
heaven,  could  there  be  found  a  more  thoroughly 
depraved  and  wicked  man  the  enemy  of  the  Gods,  if 

it  be  not  he  ? 

As  to  the  proclamation  in  regard  to  the  crowning 
in  the  Theatre,  I  pass  it  by,  as  it  has  been  done  to 
thousands  of  persons  thousands  of  times,  I  myself 
bavin-  been  often  crowned  there.     But  you  are  so 


156 


PEMOSTHENES 


stupid  and  senseless,  u^scliines,  that,  by  the  Gods, 
you  are  not  able  to  perceive  that  while  the  crown 
confers  the  same  honor  upon  the  recipient,  let  the 
coronation  take  place  w^here  it  may,  it  is  in  favor  of 
those  who  decree  it  that  proclamation  of  it  is  ordered 
to  be  made  in  the  Theatre.  For  when  the  whole  peo- 
ple hear  this  they  are  stimulated  to  do  good  service 
to  the  State,  in  their  admiration  of  the  kindness  of 
those  conferring  the  honor  rather  than  of  him  upon 
Λνΐιοηι  it  is  conferred.  A\nierefore  it  was  that  the 
City  long  since  enacted  this  law.  Take  it  now  and 
read  it. 

LAW. 

"  Whenever  persons  shall  be  crowned  by  the  different  demes, 
proclamation  shall  be  made  of  the  fact  in  each  deme,  unless  the 
whole  community  or  the  Council  shall  decree  the  crown.  In 
such  cases  the  proclamation  may  be  made  in  the  Theatre,  at  the 
Dionysiac  festivals." 

Do  you  hear,  ^schines,  the  law  speaks  clearly, 
"  unless  the  whole  community  or  the  Council  shall 
decree  the  crown,  in  such  cases  proclamation  Tnay  be 
made  in  the  Theatre,  at  the  Dionysiac  festivals." 
AVhy,  then,  Ο  miserable  man,  do  you  prevaricate  ? 
Wliy  do  you  weave  idle  tales?  Why  do  you  not, 
after  this,  take  a  dose  of  hellebore  ?  Is  it  not  scan- 
dalous, that  undertaking  a  prosecution  out  of  hatred, 
and  not  for  any  illegality,  you  should  pervert  some 
laws,  and  take  scraps  from  others  which  it  was  es- 
sential should  be  presented  entire  to  those  who  are 


1120—124.]         ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  157 

sworn  to  decide  according  to  the  laws  ?     And  you 
who  are  asking  this  are  speaking,  forsooth,  of  Λvhat 
becomes   a  friend   of  the  people;  just  as   if,  after 
having  ordered  a  statue  according  to  a  given  pat- 
tern, you  take  care  that  the  contractor  shall  never  be 
able  to  conform  to  his  agreement :  or  as  if  the  true 
friend  of  the  people  is  to  be  ascertained  by  words 
only,  and  not  by  actions  and  public  conduct.     And 
you  bawl  out,  as  if  from  a  cart,  your  filthy  vitupera- 
tions  such  as  may  suit  you  and  your  breeding,  but  in 
no  wise  fit  for  me  to  speak. 

Men  of  Athens,  there  is  this  difference,  I  think, 
between  defamation  and  a  legal  charge :— the  charge 
refers  to  illegal  acts  to  which  the  laws  assign  their 
proper    punishment ;  — defamation   is   sustained   by 
mere   invective,  with  which   enemies,   according  to 
their  nature,  bespatter  each  other.     Our  ancestors, 
indeed,  built  these  Courts  of  justice,  I  assume,  not 
that  you  might  be  brought  into  them  from  your  pri- 
vate business  to  listen  to  the  abuse  which  men  heap 
upon  each  other  in  personal  wrangles,  but  that  we 
ηύφΐ  convict  in  them  those  who  have  committed 
ille'gal  acts  against  the  State,     ^schines,  knowing 
this  fully  as  well  as  I,  has  nevertheless  chosen  to 
vituperate,  instead  of  to  present  an  accusation.     It 
is  not  right,  therefore,  that  he  should  withdraw  with- 
out getting  the  worst  of  it.— But  I  will  come  to  this 
point  again ;— I  now  desire  to  ask  him  this  question. 
Should  any  one  ask  you,  ^schines,  whether  you 


158 


DEMOSTHENES 


are  the  City's  enemy  or  mine,  you  would  doubtless 
answer,  mine.  Yet  you  flxiled  to  proceed  aii^idnst  me 
according  to  law  for  these  things,  as  a  crinnnal,  at 
the  time  of  the  audits  of  my  accounts,  during  the 
prosecutions  against  me,  and  in  other  ways.  After  I 
have  been  entirely  absolved  by  the  laws,  by  lapse  of 
time,  by  prescription,  by  being  oftentimes  tried,  but 
never  adjudged  guilty,  you  are  now  opposing  me  as 
to  measures  which  there  is  a  necessity  of  the  City 
more  or  less  sharing  the  credit  of,  since  they  con- 
cerned the  public : — See,  then,  whether  you  are  not 
the  enemy  of  your  countrymen,  while  you  are  pre- 
tending to  be  only  mine. 

Since,  then,  the  proper  and  just  mode  of  deciding 
has  been  pointed  out  to  you  all,  it  is  right,  it  seems, 
altHough  I  am  by  nature  unaccustomed  to  use  abusive 
language,  that  in  consequence  of  the  slanders — many 
and  false — spoken  by  him,  I  should  mention  a  few 
absolutely  necessary  particulars  about  him,  and  shew 
you  who  this  fellow  is,  and  what  are  his  belonsrinirs, 
who  undertakes  thus  recklessly  to  defame,  who  finds 
fault  with  my  words,  and  who  has  been  pouring  out 
abuse  that  any  moderate  person  ΛνοηΜ  hesitate  even 
to  mention.  If,  indeed,  my  accuser  were  ^acus, 
Rhadamanthus,  or  Minos,  instead  of  a  babbling  hack 
of  the  market-place,  a  pestiferous  scribe,  I  am  sure 
he  never  would  so  have  spoken,  nor  would  he  so 
load  down  his  discourse  (bawling  out  as  in  a  play) 
with  such  phrases  as  "  Ο  earth,  0  sun,  Ο  virtue,'' 


[124—130.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  159 

and  the  like.     :^ror  wouhl  he  appeal  to  conscience 
and  education,  by  which  good  is  distinguished  from 
evil.— These  things,  I  presume,  you  all  heard  him 
speaking  of.     Scum  of  the  earth,  what  part  have  you 
or  yours  with  virtue  ?     Or  what  knowledge  have  you 
of  what  is  honorable  or  its  opposite  ?     Whence  could 
you  get  it?     How  could  you  esteem  it?     AVhat  jus- 
tice Is   there   in  your  talking   about   education,  of 
Avhich  if  one  were  truly  possessed  he  would  never 
talk  about  it  himself,  and  would  even  blush  should 
another   speak   of  it  before  him?     Those  who  are 
destitute  of  it,  as  you  are,  when  they  stupidly  lay 
claim  to  it  only  cause  disgust  in  their  hearers  when 
they  so  speak,  in  no  other  wise  succeeding. 

I  am  not  at  a  loss  what  to  say  about  you  and  yours; 
I  am  only  at  a  loss  what  to  say  first.     Shall  I  tell 
how  your  father,  Tromes,  was  the  slave  of  Elpias,  the 
schoolmaster,  hard  by  the  temple  of  Theseus,  and 
how  he  wore  heavy  shackles  on  his  feet  and  a  yoke 
about  his  neck?     Or  how  your  mother  made  use  of 
her  morning  nuptials  in  the  stews  with  her  hero,  the 
Calamite,  to  rear  up  her  fair  statuesque  son,  the  great 
third-rate  actor?     Or  how  Phormio,  the  galley  flute- 
player,  Dion  the  Phrearrian's  slave,  took  her  out  of 
this  fine  way  of  living?     But,  by  the  Gods,  I  pause, 
not  lest  I  sliould  say  what  is  not  befitting  him,  but 
lest  I  should  seem  to  speak  of  things  unbecoming 
myself.     I  shall,  therefore,  quit  this  subject,  and  start 
from  the  life  >vhich  he  has  lived  himself. 


160 


DEMOSTHENES 


In  all  this  there  is  nothing  which  the  people  has 
not  execrated.  Was  it  not  lately — lately,  do  I  say  ? 
— in  fact,  only  yesterday — he  became  an  Athenian 
and  an  orator;  and,  adding  two  sylhibles  to  his 
father's  name,  made  Atrometus  out  of  Tromes? 
His  mother  he  called  very  splendidly  Glaucothea, 
whom  every  one  knew  before  as  Empnsa,  because 
of  her  doing  and  submitting  to  everything,  as  lier 
surname  plainly  shewed.  How  otherwise  could  she 
have  got  it  ? 

But  how  thankless  and  of  how  depraved  a  nature 
you  are  ! — When,  by  the  favor  of  the  Athenians,  you 
are  made  a  freeman  and  rich,  from  a  slave  and  a 
pauper,  you  return  no  thanks  for  this,  but  hire  your- 
self out  to  work  against  them. — As  to  anything  which 
is  in  doubt  whether  he  spoke  in  behalf  of  the  City, 
I  sa}'  nothing.  I  shall  only  bring  to  your  recollection 
what  he  has  been  openly  proved  to  have  done  for  our 
enemies. 

Who  amongst  you  does  not  recollect  the  outlawed 
Antiphon,  who  entered  the  City  under  a  commission 
from  Philip  to  set  lire  to  your  ship-yards?  AVhen  I 
took  him  from  his  hiding-place  in  Piraeus,  and 
brought  him  before  the  Assembly,  this  malignant 
fellow  bawled  out  to  you  that  I  was  committing  an 
outrage  in  a  free  community,  that  I  was  insulting 
the  unfortunate,  that  I  was  entering  a  house  without 
a  warrant, — and  he  had  him  discharged.  Had  not 
the  Council  of  the  Areopagus,  observing  how  from 


[130—135.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  161 

incaution  you  had  fallen  into  error,  taken  hold  of  the 
matter,  and  sought  him  out  and  brought  him  before 
you  again,  the  miscreant  would  have  been  rescued 
and  escaped  the  hands  of  justice,  spirited  away  by 
this  solemn  prater.  But  you  put  him  to  the  torture, 
and  despatched  him,  as  you  should  this  ^schines. 

ΛΥΙιοη  you  subsequently,  from  the  same  incon- 
sideratene*8S,  nominated  him  as  your  advocate  in  the 
affair  of  the  Temple  at  Delos,— an  inconsiderateness 
with  which  you  have  proceeded  to  your  disadvantage 
in  many  matters  of  importance,— the  Council  of  the 
Areopagus,  to  whom  you  had  referred  the  matter  for 
determination,  taking  cognizance  of  what  he  had  done 
in  the  case  just  spoken  of,  at  once  set  him  aside  as  a 
traitor,  and  substituted  Hyperides  in  his  place.  And 
this  they  did  taking  their  votes  from  the  altar  itself,  not 
a  single  one  being  cast  in  favor  of  this  wretch.  And 
to  shew  you  I  speak  truly,  call  me  now  the  witnesses. 

AVITNESSES. 

"  Upon  the  demand  of  Demosthenes,  on  behalf  of  all  their 
colleagues  Callias  of  Sunium,  Zeno  of  Phlyus,  Gleon  of  Pha- 
lerum,  and  Demonicus  of  Marathon,  declare  that  the  people 
having  elected  ^schines  to  be  their  advocate  to  the  Am- 
phictyons,  in  the  matter  of  the  Temple  of  Delos,  they  adjudged 
Hyperides  to  be  more  worthy  to  represent  the  City :— and  Hy- 
perides was  sent." 

Thus,  therefore,  after  he   had  been    chosen,  the 
Council  removed  him,  and  preferred  another,  assert- 

18 


162 


DEMOSTHENES 


ing  him  to  be  a  traitor  and  inimical  to  your  interests. 
This,  then,  is  one  of  this  fine  young  man's  political 
acts,  like  Avhat  he  has  been  charging  me  Λvith,  is  not 
it  ?     Let  me  call  to  your  notice  another  one. 

AVhen  Philip  sent  Python,  the  Byzantine,  to  us, 
and  Λvith  him  the  ambassadors  of  all  his  allies,  that 
he  might  bring  discredit  upon  the  City  by  denouncing 
her  injustice,  I  yielded  not  to  nor  recoiled  from 
Python's  insolence  and  his  stream  of  abuse  aiiainst 
you ; — I  withstood  him  to  the  face  and  answered  him 
back.  So  far  from  abandoning  the  righteous  cause 
of  the  City,  I  exposed  Philip's  injustice,  so  that  even 
his  allies  rose  up  and  admitted  it.  This  man,  how- 
ever, stood  by  assisting  him,  and  bearing  false  testi- 
mony against  his  country. 

This  is  not  all.  Again,  some  time  afterwards,  he 
was  detected  going  into  Thraso's  house,  with  Anax- 
inus  the  spy.  Now,  he  who  is  found  consulting  in 
secret  Λvith  an  emissary  of  the  enemy,  is  himself 
a  spy  in  heart,  and  an  enemy  of  his  country.  Call 
me  here  the  witnesses  to  establish  the  truth  of  my 

assertion. 

WITNESSES. 

"  Keledemus,  son  of  Cleon ;  Hyperides,  son  of  Calla?schrus ; 
Nicomachus,  son  of  Diophantes,  testify  for  Demosthenes  as  they 
swore  in  the  presence  of  the  generals,  that  they  saw  ^Eschines, 
son  of  Atrometus,  the  Cothocidian,  entering  the  house  of  Thraso 
by  night,  and  conferring  with  Anaxinus,  who  had  been  adjudged 
to  be  a  spy  of  Philip's.  This  testimony  was  given  before  Nikiaa 
on  the  third  of  the  month  Hecatombeon." 


[135—139.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  163 

I  omit  a  thousand  other  acts  of  the  same  kind,  and 
for  this  reason.     I  could  point  to  many  more  cases 
from  which  this  man,  during  the  whole  of  this  time, 
could  be  shewn  to  have  been  assisting  your  enemies, 
whilst  he  was  vilifying  me.     But  these  things  are 
neither  very  accurately  remembered  by  you,  nor  do 
they  beget  in  you  any  resentment.      By  a  certain 
vicious  habit,  you  give  ample  license  to  any  one  who 
wishes  to  trip  up  and  defame  him  w^ho  is  counselling 
in  your  behalf,  thus  trading  against  the  interests  of 
the  City  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  you  derive  from 
listening  to  attacks  upon  character.     It  is,  therefore, 
always  safer  and  easier  to  serve  your  enemies  for  pay 
against  you,  than  to  urge  a  line  of  policy  by  which 
your  interests  may  be  advanced. 

If,  however,  before  the  war  broke  out  it  was 
scandalous  for  ^schines  to  act  publicly  with  Philip 
against  his  country, — heavens  and  earth,  why  should 
it  not  have  been  ! — Pass  this  by,  however. — But  after 
our  ships  had  been  openly  seized,  the  Chersonnesus 
ravaged,  and  Philip  himself  was  advancing  towards 
Attica,  nothing  being  longer  in  doubt,  and  war  fla- 
grant, what  then  did  this  miserable  mouther  of  iam- 
bics do  in  vour  behalf?  You  can  find  no  decree 
proposed  by  ^schines,  great  or  small,  for  the  advan- 
tage of  the  City.  If  he  says  there  is,  let  him  shew 
it  now, — I  yield  him  my  time  for  the  purpose.  But 
there  is  nothing  of  the  kind.  Of  two  things,  there- 
fore, one  is  clear;  either  he  had  nothing  to  propose 


164 


DEMOSTHENES 


better  than  what  I  advised ;  or,  seeking  the  advantage 
of  our  enemies,  he  did  not  advise  upon  the  subject. 
But  although  he  wrote  no  decrees,  he  was  not  at 
all  silent  whenever  any  mischief  was  to  be  Λvorked 
against  you : — then  it  was  impossible  for  any  one 
else  to  speak. 

The  City,  it  seemed,  Λvas  able  to  bear  up  to  this 
time  what  he  had  been  secretly  contriving  against  it. 
But  what  he  now  did,  men  of  Athens,  put  the  finish- 
ing stroke  to  all  his  former  misdeeds ; — the  matter 
about  which  he  spent  such  a  waste  of  words,  passing 
in  review  the  decrees  concerning  the  Locrians  of 
Amphissa,  when  he  was  endeavoring  to  twist  the 
truth.  But  this  cannot  be  : — far  from  it.  Never  can 
you  wash  yourself  clean  of  what  was  then  done  by 
you.     You  shall  speak  your  words  in  vain. 

In  your  presence,  men  of  Athens,  I  invoke  tlie 
Gods  and  Goddesses  who  hold  Attica  under  their 
fostering  care;  above  all,  the  Pythian  Apollo,  your 
patron;  and  I  pray  them  all,  as  I  shall  speak  truth  to 
you, — and  I  spoke  it  out  instantly  before  the  people 
when  the  matter  was  first  broached  bv  this  miscreant, 
(I  knew  it,  I  knew  it  well  on  the  instant,) — as  I 
speak  truth,  so  may  they  grant  me  their  protection 
and  my  salvation  !  But  if  from  private  hatred  or 
enmity  I  falsely  accuse  this  man,  may  they  forever 
deprive  me  of  all  that  is  good  ! 

Wliy  do  I  make  these  imprecations,  and  why  am  I 
thus  vehemently  excited?     It  is  because  although  I 


[139—145.]         OX   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  165 

have  the  proofs  lying  in  your  archives,  from  Avhich 
to  establish  my  assertions ;  although  you  yourselves 
must  clearly  remember  the  facts,  I  fear  lest  you  Λvill 
never  believe  this  man  to  have  been  wicked  enough 
to   perpetrate   such  a   crime,— as   happened   before, 
when  he  brought  about  the  ruin  of  the  Phocians  by 
making  use  of  false  testimony  against  them  to  you. 
This,  this  is  the  man  who  first  lighted  up  the  war  in 
Amphissa  which  made  Philip  the  leader  of  the  Am- 
phictyons,  which  brought  him  to  Elatea,  and  which 
finally  overturned  the  aftairs  of  Greece;  this  is  the 
man  who  contrived  and  plotted  all,— the  cause  of  all 

your  ruin  ! 

ΛVhen  I  arose  in  the  Assembly,  and  protested  and 
cried  out,  "You  are  bringing  the  war  into  Attica, 
^schines,  an  Amphictyonic  war,"  those  Avho  were 
ranged  on  his  side  would  not  suffer  me  to  speak ;  the 
others  sat  by  astonished,  and  persuaded  themselves 
that  I  was  nuiking  an  empty  charge  against  him  from 
private  enmity.     But,  men  of  Athens,  although  you 
were  then  prevented,  hear  to-day  what  Avas  the  real 
orio-in  of  this  business ;  in  what  way  the  Avhole  thing 
was  contrived ;  how  it  was  finally  completed.     You 
shall  see  that  the  thing  was  well  concocted  ;  you  shall 
be  greatly  assisted  in  understanding  the  history  of 
the  times ;  and  you  shall  comprehend  how  great  w^as 

the  ability  of  Philip. 

There  was  neither  end  nor  deliverance  for  Philip 
from  the  war  with  you,  unless  he  could  make  the  The- 


κ 


166 


DEMOSTHENES 


bans  and  Thessalians  your  enemies.  For  althou»•]! 
your  generals  fought  against  him  both  unskilfully 
and  unsuccessfully,  still,  from  the  war  itself  and  from 
the  cruisers  at  sea  he  suffered  greatly.  He  could 
neither  export  from  his  own  country  what  was  raised 
in  it,  nor  could  he  import  into  it  what  Avas  necessary 
for  him,  as  he  was  not  only  inferior  to  you  by  sea, 
but  he  was  unable  to  penetrate  Attica  unless  the 
Thessalians  followed  him  and  the  Thebans  gave  him 
a  free  passage  through  their  Country.  It  thus  luip- 
pened  to  him,  that  although  he  overcame  your  gen- 
erals—such as  they  were— (I  pass  over  this,  how- 
ever,) from  the  very  nature  of  the  situation  and 
from  your  relative  positions,  he  was  at  a  great  dis- 
advantage. Should  he,  however,  by  reason  of  his 
own  private  quarrel,  try  to  persuade  the  Thessalians 
or  Thebans  to  march  against  you,  he  thou^-ht  he 
could  never  induce  them  to  do  so;  but  if  by  the  pre- 
text of  a  common  cause  he  could  succeed  in  being 
chosen  general,  he  readily  hoped  he  might  either 
cheat  or  persuade  them  to  aid  his  views.  AVhat  then 
should  he  put  his  hand  to  ?  You  shall  see  how  well 
he  contrived.— He  Avould  create  an  Amphictyonic 
war,  and  introduce  trouble  into  the  Assembly  at 
Thermopylae,  and  then  they  would  at  once  think  him 
necessary  to  them.  Should  any  of  the  presbyters, 
however,  sent  either  by  him  or  his  allies,  adtate 
the  subject,  he  knew  it  would  be  looked  upon  with 
suspicion  by  the  Thebans  and  Thessalians,  and  that 


[140—151.]         ON   BEHALF   OF  CTESIPHON.  167 

every  one  would  be  thus  put  upon  his  guard.  But 
if  he  could  bring  about  that  the  presbyter  should  be 
an  Athenian,  sent  by  you  his  opponents,  the  matter 
would  easily  escape  notice.     And  so  it  turned  out. 

How,  then,  did  he  work  this  ?  He  purchased  ^s- 
ciiiNES.  No  one,  as  I  suppose,  either  foreseeing  or 
suspecting  the  thing,  {you  know  how  these  matters 
are  generally  done  by  you,)  ^schines  was  nomi- 
nated as  deputy,  and  chosen  by  a  shew  of  three  or 

four  hands. 

Clothed  with  this  honor  from  the  City,  he  came  to 
the  Amphictyonic  Council,  and  disregarding  every- 
thing else,  hastened  to  accomplish  the  purpose  for 
which  he  was  hired.     Putting  together  specious  and 
false  statements  as  to  the  origin  of  the  dedication  of 
the  Kirrhsean  plain,  as  he  had  to  deal  only  with  the 
presbyters  who  were   simple  and   unsuspecting,  he 
persuaded  them  to  resolve  upon  a  perambulation  of 
the   district  which  the  Amphissians   declared  they 
were  cultivating  as  their   own,  but  which  he  pro- 
nounced to  be   within   the   sacred  precincts.     The 
Locrians  had  then  no  controversy  Λvith  us,  as  he  has 
falsely  asserted  here  to-day.      You   may  know  the 
truth  from  this.     It  was  impossible,  I  suppose,  for 
the  Locrians  to  have  had  a  controversy  with  us,  Avith- 
out  first  sending  us  a  citation.     Λ\Ίιο  ever  summoned 
you?     In    whose    archonship  was   it   done?     Name 
him,  if  he  is  known— shew  it.     You  cannot.     This 
hollow  artiiice  you  made  use  of,  and  you  falsified. 


168 


DEMOSTHENES 


Λ\Τιίΐ8ΐ  the  Amphictyons  were  perambulating  the 
plain,  in  pursuance  of  ^schines's  advice,  the  Locrians 
fell  upon  them  and  almost  destroyed  them  all,  even 
carrying  off  some  of  the  presbyters.      Accusations 
following,  and  hostilities  being  in  consequence  im- 
minent, Cottyphus  was  at  first  appointed  to  lead  an 
army  composed  of  Amphictyons  against  the  Amphis- 
sians.     But  as  some  of  the  troops  did  not  come  at 
all,  and  as  those  that  came  did  nothing,  the  traitors 
among  the  Thessalians,  and  in  the  other  cities,  who 
were  on  the  lookout,  forthwith  urged  the  choice  of 
Philip  as  general  at  the  approaching  Council  :  and 
they  made  use  of  specious  arguments.    For  they  said, 
they  must  either  raise  a  subsidy  for  the  support  of  an 
army  of  mercenaries  and  fine  those  who  did  not  con- 
tribute, or  select  Philip.     AMiy  waste  words  about 
this?     Philip  was  chosen  general ;  and  immediately 
drawing   his  forces   together,   and   advancing   as    if 
against  Ivirrha,  he  bade  good-bye  forever  to  the  Kir- 
rhicans  and  Locrians,  and  forthwith  took  possession 
of  Elatea. 

If  the  Thebans  upon  witnessing  this  had  not  at 
once  changed  their  minds,  and  taken  sides  with  you, 
the  whole  thing  would  have  burst  upon  our  City  like 
a  mountain  torrent.  :NOw,  indeed,  for  the  moment 
they  stopped  him  ;— chiefly,  men  of  Athens,  through 
the  kindness  of  some  divinity  to  you,  next,  as  much 
as  lay  in  the  power  of  one  man,  through  me. 

Give  me  the  decrees,  and  the  dates  in  which  every- 


[151—155.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  169 

thing  took  place,  that  you  may  see  how  one  infamous 
head  has  brought  about,  unpunished,  these  great 
misfortunes.     Read  the  decrees. 


DECKER 

"  In  the  priesthood  of  Clinagoras  at  the  Spring  Council,  it 
was  resolved  by  the  deputies  and  councillors  of  the  Amphictyons, 
as  well  as  by  the  General  Assembly,  that  whereas  the  Amphis- 
sians  have  entered  upon  the  sacred  district,  sowing  grain  there- 
upon, and  dividing  it  up  for  pasturage,  the  deputies  and  coun- 
cillors are  directed  to  mark  its  boundaries  by  proper  monuments, 
and  to  forbid  the  Amphissians  from  trespassing  for  the  future." 

ANOTHER  DECREE. 

"  In  the  priesthood  of  Clinagoras,  at  the  Spring  Sessions,  it 
was  resolved  by  the  deputies  and  councillors  of  the  Amphicty- 
ons, and  by  the  General  Assembly,  that  whereas  the  Amphis- 
sians have  entered  upon  the  sacred  plain,  and  have  ploughed  it 
and  divided  it  up  for  pasturage,  and  when  forbidden  to  proceed 
have  assembled  in  arms  and  resisted  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  Greeks  with  violence,  and  wounded  some  of  their  number, 
it  is  now  ordered  that  Cottyphus,  the  Arcadian  chosen  as  Gen- 
eral of  the  Amphictyons,  be  despatched  to  Philip  of  Macedon  to 
request  him  to  come  to  the  aid  of  Apollo  and  the  Amphictyons, 
and  not  to  suffer  the  God  to  be  insulted  by  the  impious  Am- 
phissians; and  that  therefore  the  Greeks  assembled  in  the 
Amphictyonic  Council  have  elected  him  as  their  General  with 
absolute  powers." 

Read  me  now  the  dates  at  which  these  things  took 
place  :  they  happened  whilst  ^schines  was  an  Am- 
phictyonic deputy.     Read. — 


170 


DEMOSTHENES 


DATES. 

'*  Mnesitheidea  being  Archon,  on   the  sixteenth  day  of  the 
month  Anthesterion." 


Give  me  now  the  letter  which,  as  the  Thehans 
did  not  respond  to  liini,  Philip  sent  to  his  allies  in 
Peloponnesus.  You  may  see  clearly  from  it  he  was 
concealing  the  true  aspect  of  the  measures  he  was 
adopting  against  Greece  and  the  Thehans  and  your- 
selves, whilst  he  was  pretending  to  act  for  the  com- 
mon interest  under  the  orders  of  the  Amphictyons. 
These  pretexts  and  these  shams  this  man  furnished 
him  with.     Read. — 

PHILIP'S  LETTER. 

"Philip,  King  of  the  Macedonians,  to  the  Magistrates  and 
Councillors  of  the  Peloponnesian  allies,  and  to  the  other  allies, 
Greeting.  Whereas  the  Locrians  called  Ozolian  dwelling  in 
Amphissa  have  profaned  the  temple  of  Apollo  at  Delphi,  and 
with  arms  in  their  hands  have  violated  the  sacred  plain,  now, 
with  your  assistance,  I  desire  to  avenge  the  God,  and  to  punish 
the  men  who  have  committed  these  sacrilegious  acts.  We  ask 
you,  therefore,  to  assemble  with  arms  in  Phocis,  supplied  with 
provisions  for  forty  days,  in  the  coming  month  of  Loos,  as  we 
style  it,  called  Boedromion  by  the  Athenians,  and  Panemus  by 
the  Corinthians.  Those  who  shall  so  assemble  in  mass  Avith  us 
we  shall  treat  as  friends,  and  those  not  joining  us  as  enemies." 

See  how  he  avoids  speaking  of  his  private  ends, 
and  skulks  hehind  Amphictyonic  reasons.    IVho  sup- 


[155—161.]         ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHOX. 


171 


plied  him  with  these  pretexts  ?     ΛλΠιο  prepared  them 
for  him  ?     AVho  has  heen  the  head  and  front  of  all 
the  evils  which  have  thus  been  wrought?     Is  it  not 
this  man  ?     Do  not  go  about,  Athenians,  saying  that 
Greece   has   suffered   all   her  woes   from   one   man. 
Heavens  and  earth  !     It  has  not  been  from  one  man, 
but  from  many  wretches  found  in  every  city.     And 
^schines  is  one  of  them;  whom,  were  I  bound  to 
speak  nothing  but  the  literal  truth,  I  should  not  hesi- 
tate to  denounce  as  a  common  pest,  the  cause  of  all 
the  destruction  of  men,  places,  and  cities,  that  after- 
wards took  place.     The  sower  of  the   seed  is  the 
author  of  the  crop  of  ruin  Λvhich  springs  up.     How 
you   can   look   upon    him  without  at  once   turning 
away,  I  wonder ;  but  there  is  a  veil,  it  seems  to  me, 
between  you  and  the  truth. 

It  has  happened  to  me,  in  handling  the  various  acts 
done  by  this  man  against  his  country,  to  touch  upon 
matters  which  I  myself  proposed  in  opposition  to 
him.  For  many  reasons,  Athenians,  I  desire  you  to 
hear  me  upon  them;  but  chiefly  because,  it  ΛνοηΜ 
be  disgraceful  in  you  not  to  be  willing  to  listen  to 
the  account  of  that  which  I  spent  so  much  labor  in 
accomplishing.  » 

Seeincr  then  that  the  Thehans,  and  you  too,  influ- 
enced  by  those  who  Avere  doing  Philip's  work— the 
corrupt  men  in  each  city— Avere  overlooking  and  not 
providing  for  what  was  dangerous  and  to  be  guarded 
against  by  you,  namely,  suffering  Philip's  strength  to 


172 


DEMOSTHENES 


increase  whilst  you  were  hating  and  quarrelling  with 
each  other,  I  was  ever  on  the  lookout  to  prevent  this 
being  accomplished.  JSOr  did  I  thus  act  from  my 
own  opinion  alone;  for  I  well  knew  that  Aristo- 
phon  and  Eubulus,  who  diifered  greatly  as  to  other 
matters,  had  ever  desired  to  bring  about  this  friendly 
feeling, — being  always  of  one  mind  upon  this  point. 
Those  men,  vile  wretch,  whom  you  fawned  upon 
when  livinor  you  are  not  now  ashamed  to  attack 
when  dead !  For  in  inveighing  against  me  about 
the  Theban  alliance,  you  bring  a  much  graver  accu- 
sation against  them,  since  they  advised  the  measure 
long  before  I  did. 

But  I  must  go  back  now. — AVhen  ^schines  had 
got  up  the  Araphissian  w^ar,  and  whilst  others,  uni- 
ting with  him  here,  Λvere  Λvorking  up  this  enmity 
against  Thebes,  Philip  was  marching  against  you; 
this  was  the  purpose  for  Λvhich  these  men  had  em- 
broiled the  two  cities.  And  if  we  liad  not  bestirred 
ourselves  a  little  we  should  not  have  been  able  to 
recover,  so  far  forward  had  they  brought  the  matter. 
In  what  position  you  stood  to  each  other  you  shall 
learn  from  these  decrees  and  answers. 

Read  now  the  decrees. 

DECREE. 

"  In  the  archonship  of  Heropythus,  on  the  twenty-fifth  day 
of  the  month  Elaphebolion,  in  the  presidency  of  the  Erectheian 
tribe,  it  was  resolved,  by  the  advice  of  the  Council  and  Gen- 
erals, as  follows :  Whereas  Philip  has  taken  possession  of  certain 


[161—166.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  173 

cities  of  our  neighbors,  and  is  besieging  others ;  but,  above  all, 
is  preparing  to  march  against  Attica,  disregarding  our  treaties, 
and  intending  to  break  his  oath  and  the  peace,  and  to  overturn 
our  common  engagements,  therefore  it  is  resolved  by  the  Coun- 
cil and  the  people  to  send  ambassadors  to  Philip,  who  shall 
confer  with  him,  and  endeavor  to  persuade  him,  above  all,  to 
keep  faithfully  his  agreements  and  treaties  with  us  ;  or  if  not,  at 
least  to  give  sufficient  time  to  the  City  to  deliberate,  and  to 
grant  an  armistice  until  the  month  Thargelion.  There  have 
been  chosen  as  deputies  from  the  Council,  Simus  of  Anagyrus, 
Euthydemus  of  Phlyus,  Bulagoras  of  Alopeke." 

ANOTHER  DECREE. 
"  In  the  archonship  of  Heropythus,  on  the  last  day  of  the 
month  Munychion,  it  was  resolved,  by  the  advice  of  the  Pol- 
emarch :  AVhereas  Philip  is  endeavoring  to  bring  the  Thebans 
into  hostilities  with  us,  and  is  preparing  to  take  possession,  with 
all  his  forces,  of  the  places  bordering  upon  Attica,  disregarding 
the  existing  treaties  between  us,  it  is  resolved  by  the  Council 
and  people  to  send  a  herald  and  envoys  unto  him  to  endeavor  to 
persuade  him  to  grant  an  armistice,  that  the  people  may  have 
an  opportunity  to  consider  the  matter,  for  the  people  has  not 
now  determined  to  march  out  in  the  event  of  anything  reason- 
able.   Were  chosen  as  envoys  from  the  Council,  Nearchus,  son 
of  Sosinomus  ;  Polycrates,  son  of  Epiphron ;  and  as  herald  from 
the  people,  Eunomus,  the  Anaphlystian." 

Read  now  Philip's  answers. 

ANSWER  TO  THE  ATHENIANS. 

"Philip,  King  of  Macedon,  to  the  Council  and  people  of 

Athens,  Greeting. 

"  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  design  which  you  have  had  from 
the  beginning,  and  which  you  vehemently  desire  to  carry  out,  of 


174 


DEMOSTHENES 


gaining  over  the  Thessalians  and  Thebans,  as  well  as  the  Bceo- 
tians.  They,  however,  have  thought  better  of  this  matter,  and 
do  not  wish  to  adopt  your  views,  but  to  stand  by  their  own  in- 
terest. You  now  turn  round  and  send  a  herald  and  envoys  to 
remind  us  of  our  treaties,  and  to  ask  for  an  armistice,  although 
you  have  been  in  no  wise  wronged  by  us.  I  have  listened,  how- 
ever, to  your  envoys,  and  am  ready  to  accede  to  your  demand 
and  grant  the  armistice,  if  you  will  dismiss  your  evil  counsel- 
lors, and  disgrace  them  as  they  deserve.     Farewell." 

ANSWER  TO  THE  THEBANS. 

"Philip,  King  of  Macedon,  to  the  Council  and  people  of 
Thebes,  Greeting.  I  have  received  your  letter,  in  which  you 
renew  concord  and  peace  with  me.  But  I  understand  that  the 
Athenians  have  been  using  efforts  to  induce  you  to  join  them  in 
carrying  out  their  plans.  At  first  I  blamed  you  for  suffering 
yourselves  to  be  persuaded  by  their  promises  to  follow  their 
advice.  But  knowing  now  that  you  earnestly  seek  to  preserve 
peace  with  me  rather  than  to  follow  the  opinions  of  others,  I 
rejoice  and  praise  you  on  many  accounts,  but  chiefly  because  in 
so  acting  you  have  consulted  your  own  safety,  and  preserve  your 
kind  feelings  towards  me.  It  will,  I  hope,  be  of  no  small  im- 
portance to  you  if  you  abide  in  this  purpose.     Farewell." 

^  Philip,  having  thus  by  these  means  embroiled  the 
cities,  pufied  up  by  the  decrees  and  liis  answers  to 
them,  advanced  with  his  forces  against  Elatea  and 
took  possession  of  it,  tliinking  that  happen  what 
might,  you  and  the  Thebans  would  never  be  united. 
Though  you  all  know  the  alarm  which  this  caused  to 
Athens,  hear  from  me  a  few  words  about  it,  and 
these  only  the  most  necessary. 


fl66_171.]         ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  175 

« 

It  was  evening. — A  messenger  arrived  to  inform 
the  Presidents  that  Elatea  was  taken.     Immediately 
rising  from  supper,  some  of  them  drove  fronr  their 
tents  those  who  Λvere  engaged  in  traffic  in  the  mar- 
ket-place, and  set  fire  to  the  booths;  whilst  others 
sent  for  the  generals,  and  called  out  the  trumpeter : 
great  was  the   excitement  in  the    City.     The   next 
morning    at    daybreak    the    Presidents    called    the 
Council  together  in  their  Chamber,  and  you  all  as- 
sembled in  public  meeting ;— before  the  Council  had 
advised  or  offered  anything  for  consideration,  every 
deme   w^as   seated   in   its   place   upon  the   hill-side. 
ΛYhen  the  Council  arrived,  and  the  Presidents  pro- 
claimed the  news,  and  introduced  the  messenger  who 
spoke  out  his  message,  the  herald  demanded,  "λΥ\ιο 
desires   to   address   the   meeting?"      No   one   stood 
forth.     After  the  herald  had  many  times  made  the 
same  demand,  no  one  responded,  although  all  the 
generals,  all  the  orators  were  present,  and  their  coun- 
try by  her  common  voice  called  upon  each  citizen  to 
advise  concerning  her  safety;   for  when  the  herald 
lifted  up  his  voice,  according  to  law,  it  is  right  to 
call  it  the  common  voice  of  our  country.     If  it  be- 
hooved all  who  desired  the  salvation  of  their  country 
to  come  forward,  all  of  you  and  the  rest  of  the  Athe- 
nians would  have  stood  up,  and  mounted  the  plat- 
form ;    for  all,  I  well  know,  desired  her  salvation. 
Had  it  concerned  the  rich  in  particular,  the  three 
hundred  would  have  risen  up.      Had  it  concerned 


176 


DEMOSTHENES 


those  who  were  both  warmly  attached  to  their  coun- 
try and  also  wealthy,  they  who  immediately  after- 
wards gave  largely  for  the  common  interests  would 
have  been  there,  for  they  gave  from  patriotism  as 
well  as  wealth.     But,  as  it  appeared,  the  day  and  the 
occasion   required  not  merely  a  rich  and  patriotic 
citizen,  but  one  who  had  followed  the  subject  from 
the  very  beginning,  and  could  correctly  understand 
why  it  was  that  Philip  was  thus  acting,  and  what  was 
his  ulterior  purpose.     He  who  was  ignorant  of  this, 
or  who  had  not  followed  it  carefully  for  a  long  time, 
was  totally  unfit,  notwithstanding  his  patriotism  and 
his  Avealth,  either  to  see  what  it  was  necessary  to  do^ 
or  to  advise  you  how  to  do  it. 

/  was  the  man  who  appeared  on  that  day,  and 
who,  ascending  the  platform,  addressed  you.    AVhat  I 
then  told  you,  you  should  now  listen  to  attentively  for 
two  reasons :  first,  that  you  may  know  that  I  alone, 
of  all  the  orators  and  counsellors,  did  not  desert  the 
patriot's  post  in  that  hour  of  danger,  but  both  by 
speech  and  written  decrees  advised  what  was  most 
useful  to  you  in  your  time  of  peril;    next,  because 
by  spending  a  little  time  upon  this  you  will  much 
more  readily  comprehend  all  the  rest  of  the  policy 
of  the  day.     I  spoke  as  follows  :  "  Those  persons,  I 
thought,  who  were  greatly  troubled  at  the  Thebans 
being  under  Philip's  control,  ignored  the  real  state 
of  things,  for  I  well  knew  that  if  this  had  been  the 
case  we  should  have  not  only  heard  of  Philip  being 


ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


177 


[171—177.] 

in  Elatea,  but  on  our  very  borders.  I  was  clearly, 
however,  of  opinion  that  he  was  coming  to  Thebes 
to  bring  this  about. — How  the  matter  now  stands," 
I  said,  "  hear  from  me. 

"  Philip  has  won  over  many  of  the  Thebans  by 
bribing  some  and  deceiving  others :  those,  however, 
who  have  withstood  him  from  the  first,  and  are  now 
opposed  to  him,  he  will  in  no  wise  be  able  to  gain. 
AVhat,  then,  is  his  purpose,  and  why  has  he  occupied 
Elatea?  By  making  a  great  shew  of  strength  and 
displaying  his  arms  he  has  raised  up  and  inspired 
confidence  in  his  adherents,  and  to  the  same  extent 
depressed  his  enemies.  He  will  thus  compel  these 
last  either  to  join  him  through  fear,  which  they  do 
not  wish  to  do,  or  they  will  be  crushed  out  com- 
pletely. If,  therefore,"  said  I,  "  we  are  now  disposed 
to  remember  the  old  offences  of  the  Thebans  against 
us,  and  to  distrust  them  as  enemies,  we  shall  be  doing 
exactly  what  Philip  wants;  and  I  fear  that  even  those 
of  them  who  are  now  unfriendly  will  join  him,  and 
then  all  having  Philippized  with  one  consent,  he  and 
they  will  march  together  against  Attica. 

"  If  you  will  listen  to  me,  and  look  dispassion- 
ately at  what  I  am  going  to  propose,  I  think  I  can 
shew  what  is  best  to  be  done,  and  remove  the  present 
danger  from  the  City.     AVhat,  then,  do  I  propose? 

'*  First  of  all  dispel  your  present  apprehension,  and 
feel  and  fear  for  the  Thebans.  The  danger  is  much 
nearer  to  them  than  to  us,  for  to  them  the  peril  is 

14 


178 


DEMOSTHENES 


immediate.  Next,  let  all  who  are  able  march  at  once 
Avitli  the  cavalry  to  Eleusis,  that  ever}^  one  may  see 
you  are  in  arms.  Your  partisans  in  Thebes  will  thus 
be  enabled  to  speak  out  freely  on  the  right  side 
equally  with  their  opponents,  when  they  know  that 
while  there  is  a  force  at  Elatea  to  back  up  the  traitors 
who  have  sold  their  country  to  Philip,  you  are  pre- 
pared to  stand  by  them  and  assist  them,  should  any 
one  attack  them,  while  they  desire  to  contend  for 
their  country's  freedom. 

"Further,  I  recommend  that  ten  ambassadors  be 
chosen,  with  equal  power  with  the  generals,  to  fix 
the  time  for  going  thither  and  for  the  march  out. 
AVhen  the  ambassadors  shall  reach  Thebes,  how  do 
I  propose  the  question  shall  be  dealt  with  ?  Give 
me  here  your  earnest  attention.  Endeavor  to  obtain 
nothing  from  the  Thebans,  (to  attempt  it  at  such  a 
time  would  be  base,)  but  say  to  them  Λνβ  have  come 
to  aid  them,  if  they  desire  it,  in  their  time  of  ex- 
treme peril,  as  we  foresee  better  than  they  what  is 
going  to  happen.  Should  they  accept  our  offer, 
and  hearken  to  us,  we  shall  have  obtained  Aviiat  we 
w^ish,  and  our  conduct  will  wear  a  color  worthv  of 
the  City;  should  we  be  unsuccessful,  then  they  will 
have  themselves  to  blame  for  havinor  mismanatred 
their  business,  and  we  shall  have  done  nothing 
mean  or  dishonorable." 

Having  thus  spoken,  and  much  more  to  the  same 
effect,  I  descended  and  sat  down.     Every  one  con- 


[177_18L]  OX    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHOX. 


179 


curred.  Xot  a  dissenting  voice  w^as  heard.  I  not 
only  spoke  thus,  but  I  wrote  the  decree ;  I  not  only 
Avrote  the  decree,  but  I  went  on  the  embassy ;  I  not 
only  w^ent  on  the  embassy,  but  I  persuaded  the  The- 
bans. I  went  through  with  everything  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end,  and  gave  myself  up  entirely  to 
you,  in  the  existing  danger  to  the  City.  Bring  me 
the  decree  w^hicli  w^as  then  passed. 

AVhat  name  then,  ^schines,  do  you  wish  me  to 
affix  to  you  and  what  to  myself  upon  that  day  ?  Shall 
I  call  myself  Batalus,  as  you  have  done,  slandering 
and  vilifying  me;  and  you  not  merely  a  common 
hero,  but  one  from  the  stage,  Chresphontes,  or 
Creon,  or  (Enomaus,  w^hom  you  played  once  at  Col- 
lyttus,  and  broke  down  so  abominably  in  ?  On  that 
day  I,  Batalus  the  Paeanian,  seemed  to  be  worth 
much  more  to  our  country  than  you,  (Enomaus  the 
Cothocidian.  You,  indeed,  w^ere  not  of  the  slightest 
use  to  her;  w^iile  I  did  everything  which  became  the 
good  citizen.     Read  the  decree  : 

THE   DECREE  OF   DEMOSTHENES. 

**  In  the  archonship  of  Nausicles,  in  the  presidency  of  the 
jEantian  tribe,  on  the  sixteenth  day  of  the  month  Scirophorion, 
Demosthenes,  son  of  Demosthenes  of  Paeania,  moved  as  follows: 
Whereas  Philip,  King  of  Macedon,  has  been  shewn  in  the  past 
to  have  violated  the  treaties  of  peace  made  between  him  and  the 
Athenian  people,  and  to  have  broken  his  oaths,  and  what  is 
accounted  just  by  all  the  Greeks,  taking  possession  of  cities  not 
belonging  to  him,  even  capturing  some  belonging  to  the  Athe- 


180 


DEMOSTHENES 


nians,  by  whose  people  he  has  been  in  no  wise  wronged  :  and 
whereas  he  is  now  proceeding  largely  by  violence  and  cruelty, 
placing  garrisons  in  some  Greek  cities  and  destroying  their  in- 
dependence; overthrowing  others,  and  reducing  the  inhabitants 
to  slavery ;  in  some  of  them  even  planting  Barbarians  in  place 
of  Greeks,  and  giving  them  possession  of  their  temples  and 
sepulchres ;  in  all  this  not  acting  inconsistently  with  his  coun- 
try and  his  own  character  in  thus  using  in  excess  his  present 
fortune,  in  utter  oblivion  of  his  having  become  unexpectedly 
great  by  accident  from  a  humble  beginning:  and  whereas  the 
Athenian  people,  whilst  it  saw  him  taking  cities  of  Barbarians 
and  its  own,  deemed  it  a  matter  of  less  importance  that  it  was 
wronged  by  him ;  but  now  that  it  has  witnessed  Grecian  cities, 
some  insulted  and  others  ravaged  by  Philip,  it  considers  it  a 
great  outrage,  and  to  be  unworthy  of  its  ancestral  glory  to  look 
on  and  see  the  Greeks  enslaved :  Therefore,  it  is  resolved  by  the 
Council  and  people  of  Athens,  addressing  themselves  and  sacri- 
ficing to  the  Gods  and  tutelary  heroes,  under  whose  protection 
the  City  and  territory  of  the  Athenians  are,  and  laying  to  heart 
the  virtue  of  their  forefathers,  who  watched  over  the  freedom 
of  the  Greeks  with  more  solicitude  than  they  did  over  their  own 
country,  that  they  will  send  a  fleet  of  two  hundred  ships  to  sea, 
Avhose  admiral  shall  sail  up  into  the  straits  of  Thermopyhe,  and 
their  general  and  commander  of  horse  shall  lead  our  infantry 
and  cavalry  to  Eleusis;  and  also  that  ambassadors  be  sent  to  the 
other  Grecian  cities,  and  first  to  Thebes,  as  Philip  is  nearer  to 
their  country,  to  exhort  them  to  be  in  no  wise  in  dread  of  him, 
and  to  hold  fast  to  their  own  and  the  common  liberties  of  Greece, 
assuring  them  that  the  Athenian  people  has  dismissed  from  her 
recollection  any  old  animosities  between  the  two  cities,  and  will 
now  assist  the  Thebans  with  her  power  and  her  means,  and  with 
military  engines  and  with  arms,  regarding  it  as  honorable  to  con- 
tend with  each  other  for  the  headship  of  their  common  country, 
but  deeming  it  unworthy  of  their  glory  and  the  virtue  of  their 


[181—189.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  181 

ancestors  to  submit  to  the  rule  of  a  man  of  foreign  race,  and  to 
abandon  their  leadership  to  him. 

"  Moreover,  the  Athenian  people  does  not  regard  the  people 
of  Thebes  as  alien  in  descent  or  race,  and  bears  in  mind  the 
acts  of  kindness  shewn  by  their  ancestors  to  the  ancestors  of  the 
Thebans.  For  when  the  descendants  of  Hercules  were  kept 
out  of  their  hereditary  sovereignty  by  the  Peloponnesians, 
Athens  restored  them  to  it,  subduing  with  force  of  arms  those 
who  were  endeavoring  to  resist  the  posterity  of  Hercules.  We 
also  received  and  succored  (Edipus  and  his  banished  com- 
panions, and  have  rendered  many  other  acts  of  kindness  and 
good-will  to  the  Thebans. 

"  AVherefore  the  Athenian  people  w^ill  not  now  withhold  its 
assistance  from  the  Thebans  and  the  other  Greeks.  Let  an 
alliance  then  be  entered  into  with  them,  with  the  right  of  in- 
termarriage, and  let  oaths  be  mutually  given  and  received  : 
Ambassadors,  Demosthenes,  son  of  Demosthenes  of  Pseania; 
Hyperides,  son  of  Cleander  of  Sphettium ;  Mnesitheides,  son 
of  Antiphanes  of  Phrearrii ;  Democrates,  son  of  Sophilus  of 
Phlyus ;  Callieschrus,  son  of  Diotimus  of  Cothocidae." 

This  was  the  beghining  and  foundation  of  our 
connection  Λvit]l  Thebes,  tlie  two  Cities  before  this 
liaving  been  plunged  by  these  men  into  hatred,  dis- 
trust, and  enmity.  And  this  decree  dispelled  the 
danger  which  menaced  the  City  like  the  morning 
mists.  Then  was  the  moment  for  an  honest  poli- 
tician to  proclaim  a  better  counsel  than  the  one 
adopted;— and  not  now  to  rail  at  what  had  been 
done.  For  the  statesman  and  the  demagogue,  dif- 
fering in  everything,  are  in  this  respect  most  unlike: 
the  former  states  his  views  openly  before  the  crisis, 


182 


DEMOSTHENES 


and  makes  himself  responsible  for  them  to  those  who 
give  heed  to  him,  to  fortune,  to  the  season  of  action, 
to  every  one;— the  latter,  silent  Avhen  lie  should 
speak,  the  moment  misfortune  happens,  is  loud- 
tongued  in  abuse  of  all  that  has  been  done.  Then, 
as  I  said  before,  was  the  time  for  the  upright  coun- 
sellor to  speak,  and  for  wise  counsels. 

But  I  will  state  this  extreme  proposition.  If  even 
now  any  one  can  shew  anything  better,  in  whole  or 
in  part,  than  what  I  then  advised,  I  λυϊΙΙ  confess  that 
I  was  wrong.  If  any  one  can  to-day  shew  anything 
different,  which  if  then  done  would  have  availed,  I 
agree  that  it  should  not  have  escaped  me.  But  if 
there  is  and  was  no  such  thing,  and  no  one  can  even 
now  suggest  it,  Λvhat  was  the  true  counsellor  to  do? 
Was  it  not  to  choose  the  best  thing  that  presented 
itself? — This  I  then  did,  ^schines,  when  the  herald 
proclaimed,  ''Who  present  desires  to  give  advice,"— 
not,  "AVho  wishes  to  quarrel  Avith  the  past,"— nor, 
"AVho  wishes  to  forecast  the  future."  You  then  sat 
silent  in  the  Assembly,  whilst  I  came  forAvard  and 
spoke.— But  although  you  spoke  not  at  that  time,  do 
it  now.  Tell  us  what  measures  would  then  have  been 
useful; — what  favorable  chance  was  then  overlooked: 
what  alliance,  what  conjuncture  in  which  I  should 
have  placed  my  countrymen,  was  omitted? 
^  The  past  is  taken  from  us  all,— no  one  undertakes  to 
advise  about  it :  it  is  the  future,  it  is  the  present  which 
requires  the   exhibition  of  counsel.      At  that  time 


[189—195.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  183 

there  were  dangers  in  the  future,  there  were  dangers 
actually  pressing.     Scrutinize  the  choice  of  the  means 
I  then  selected,  but  do  not  carp  at  the  result.    For^the 
end  is,  as  the  Master  of  all  things  decrees ;  but  It  is 
the  choice  of  a  policy  which  displays  the  judgment 
of  the  statesman.     Do   not,  then,  regard  it  as  my 
wront^  because  it  chanced  to  Philip  to  succeed  in  the 
contlict :— the  issues  Λvere  in  God's  hands,  not  mme. 
Shew  me,  however,  that  I  did  not  select  every  means 
according  to  the  best  human  calculation,  working  in 
this  justly,  and  carefully,  and  laboriously  even  be- 
yond my  strength,  or  that  I  did  not  propose  what 
was  honorable  and  becoming  and  necessary  to  the 
City  ;    shew  me  this,  and  then  find  fault  with  me. 
If  the  impending  blow  was  too  powerful  not  only 
for  us  but  for  all  Greece  to  ward  off,  what  is  it  right 
to  do  ?     Is  it  not  as  if  the  merchant  Avho  has  pro- 
vided every  proper  equipment  for  his  vessel,  and  has 
done  everything  for  its  safety,  when  it  has  encoun- 
tered a  storm,  and  the  rigging  and  tackle  are  broken 
and  shattered,  should  be  condemned  as  the  author  of 
the  shipwreck? — "I  was  not  the  master  of  the  ship," 
he   might  say.— "Nor  was  I  the   general,  nor  the 
master  of  Fortune  who  herself  controlled  everything." 
Just  look  at  tlie  thing  and  reflect  for  a  moment.— 
If,  while  fighting  as  allies  of  the  Thebans,  it  befell 
us  as  it  did,  what  was  not  to  have  been  expected,  if, 
instead  of  having  them  on  our  side,  they  had  been 
with  Philip,  for  which  end  he  had  used  every  persua- 


184 


DEMOSTHENES 


[195—200.]  ON   BEHALF  OF   CTESIPHON. 


185 


sion  ?  And  if  so  great  a  fear  and  danger  menaced 
and  overcame  us  when  the  battle  was  fouglit  three 
days'  distance  from  Attica,  wliat  might  not  have  been 
expected  had  the  disaster  occurred  upon  our  very 
soil  ?  Do  you  not  see  that  we  had  time  to  stand,  to 
meet  together,  to  breatlie?  IVIucli  did  one  day,  two 
days,  three,  enable  us  to  do  for  the  safety  of  the  City. 
On  the  other  hand — but  it  is  wrong  even  to  speak  of 
what  the  City  has  been  spared  tlirough  the  benefi- 
cence of  some  deity,  and  by  the  protection  of  this 
very  alliance  which  you  have  been  assailing. 

All  that  I  have  been  saying— perhaps  too  much— 
on  this  subject,  is  addressed  to  you,  judges,  and  to 
the  by-standers  who  are  listening:  to  this  abominable 
fellow,  a  short  and  plain  reply  shall  suffice.     If  the 
future,  ^schines,  was  foreknown  to  you  alone,  when 
the  City  Λvas  deliberating  upon  these  matters,  you 
should  then  have  spoken  out.     If  you  did  not  foresee 
any  more  than  the  rest,  you  are  as  much  responsible 
as  they.     Why  should  you  tben  rather  accuse  me  as 
to  the  result  than  I  you?     I,  indeed,  was  a  better 
citizen  so  far  as  these  matters  are  concerned,  (I  refer 
now  to  nothing  else),  inasmuch  as  I  gave  myself  up 
to  what  seemed  to  be  for  the  general  good,  neither 
shrinking  from   nor  taking  thought  of  any  danger, 
whilst  you  neither  proposed  anything  better,  (or  my 
measures  would  not  have  been  adopted,)  nor  in  any 
wise  gave  your  aid  towards  what  liad  been  agreed 
upon.     You   were   found   to   have   acted,   after  the 


result,  as  the  City's  worst  and  most  malignant  ene- 
mies-—while  Aristratus  at  Naxos,  and  Aristolaus 
at  Thasos,  accuse  the  friends  of  the  Athenians,  at 
Athens  Demosthenes  is  denounced  by  ^schines. 
But  he  by  whom  the  misfortunes  of  Greece  are 
hoarded  up  to  build  a  reputation  upon  is  himself 
deserving  of  utter  condemnation, — not  to  be  the  ac- 
cuser of  others ;  and  he  who  profits,  along  Λvith  his 
country's  enemies,  by  her  misfortunes,  can  never  be 
regarded  as  lier  well-wislier.  You  stand  confest, 
then,  from  your  life  and  conduct,  from  your  speech, 
from  your  silence.  Is  anything  to  be  advised  for  the 
benefit  of  Athens,  JEschines  sits  dumb.  Does  an 
unforeseen  reverse  occur,  ^scliines  is  on  his  feet. — 
Just  as  when  disease  overtakes  the  body,  old  sores 
and  sprains  break  out  to  w^orry  it. 

Since,  however,  ^schines  insists  so  strongly  upon 
the  result,  I  desire  to  enounce  a  proposition  which 
may  at  first  seem  paradoxical.  Do  not,  in  the  name 
of  Jupiter  and  all  the  Gods,  be  astounded  at  it  be- 
cause it  seems  extreme,  but  listen  without  prejudice 
to  what  I  am  about  to  say.  Had  the  issue  been 
already  known  to  you  all, — had  all  foreseen  it,  and 
had  you,  ^schines,  bawled  yourself  hoarse  in  pro- 
claiming it,— although  you  uttered  not  a  whisper, 
— even  then  the  City  should  not  have  hesitated  to 
undertake  what  she  did,  having  regard  to  her  true 
glory,  to  our  ancestors,  to  posterity.  Now  indeed 
she  appears  to  have  been  unsuccessful,  which  is  a 


^' 


186 


DEMOSTHENES 


common  chance  Avhen  the  Gods  so  will  it.  But  then 
she  would  have  incurred  the  reproach  of  delivering 
over  the  Greeks  to  Philip,  if  after  claiming  the  head- 
ship of  all  Greece  she  had  voluntarily  descended  from 
it.  Had  she  then  resiorned  without  a  struirirle  that 
which  our  forefathers  spared  no  dangers  to  achieve, 
w^ho  would  not  then  have  spit  upon  you,  ^Eschines, 
—not  upon  me,  not  upon  the  City  ?  AVith  what  eyes, 
good  God,  could  w^e  have  looked  upon  strangers 
visiting  the  City,  had  the  result  been  what  it  is  and 
Philip  been  chosen  tlie  lord  and  master  of  us  all,  the 
rest  of  our  countrvmen,  without  us,  contestins:  his 
claim?  Especially  when  in  bygone  days  our  City 
had  shrunk  from  no  danger  in  the  cause  of  honor, 
rather  than  repose  in  an  inglorious  security.  What 
Greek  indeed,  what  Barbarian  does  not  know  that 
the  Thebans-,  and  the  Lacedemonians  before  them 
all-powerful,  and  the  Persian  king  himself,  would 
thankfully  and  readily  have  permitted  Athens  to  take 
what  she  wislied  and  to  keep  her  own,  liad  she  been 
willing  to  obey  the  behests  of  the  stranger  and  suffer 
him  to  assume  the  command  of  Greece  ?  But  such 
things,  as  it  seemed  to  the  Athenians  of  those  days, 
were  neither  patriotic,  nor  natural,  nor  supportable; 
nor  could  any  one  in  all  past  time  have  prevailed 
upon  the  City  to  succumb  to  the  powerful  evil-doer, 
sitting  down  in  safe  submission.  No,  she  ever  en- 
countered every  peril,  in  the  contention  for  the  first 
place,  and    for  honor   and  glory.      And  you,  your- 


[200—207.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  187 

selves,  regard  this  conduct  as  so  august,  and  as  so 
conformable  to  your  own  thoughts  and  feelings,  that 
those  of  your  ancestors  who  have  so  acted  are  held 
by  you  in  the  highest  esteem.     And  properly :    for 
who  does  not  admire  the  virtue  of  the  men  who  pre- 
ferred to  quit  their  city  and  their  country,  and  em- 
bark upon  their  ships,  rather  than  endure  servitude, 
electing  to  their  command  Themistocles,  Λvho  had  so 
counselled  them ;    nay,  even  stoning  to  death  Kyr- 
silus,  who  had  advised   submission :— not  only  him, 
but  your  wives  also  putting  his  wife  to  death.     Those 
Athenians  sought  not  an  orator  or  a  general  by  Avhom 
they  might  be  enslaved;  they  preferred  not  to  live, 
unless  they  could  live  free.     Each  one  of  them  be- 
lieved that  he  was  born,  not  only  for  his  father  and 
his  mother,  but  for  his  country  also.— And  the  dif- 
ference is  this.— He  who  thinks  that  he  is  born  for 
his  parents  only,  waits  for  his  appointed  and  natural 
end :  but  he  who  thinks  he  belongs  to  his  country 
also,  prefers  to  die  rather  than  to  see  her  enslaved, 
and   fears  more   than    death   itself,  the   insults  and 
dishonor   \vhich    must   be   borne   Λvhen   his    city   is 

enthralled. 

AVere  I  to  assert  that  it  was  I  who  had  induced 
you  to  adopt  resolves  worthy  of  your  ancestors,  there 
is  none  who  might  not  justly  reprove  me.  I  now 
proclaim  that  these  resolves  were  your  own,  and  that 
the  same  opinions  were  held  by  the  City  before  my 
time.     I  onlv  sav  that  some  of  the  credit  from  each 


188 


DEMOSTHENES 


of  these  measures  should  be  given  to  me.  But  this 
fellow,  who  finds  fault  with  everything,  and  who  is 
instigating  you  to  condemn  me  as  the  author  of  all 
the  City's  alarms  and  calamities,  is  striving  to  de- 
prive me,  indeed,  of  this  present  honor,  but  is  taking 
away  from  you  your  just  eulogy  for  all  time  to  come. 
For  if  you  now  convict  Ctesiphon  by  condemning 
me  as  not  having  pursued  the  best  policy,  then  will 
you  appear  to  have  erred,  and  not  to  have  suffered 
what  has  happened  from  the  injustice  of  Fortune. 
But  you  have  not,  you  have  not  erred,  Athenians, 
in  encountering  peril  for  the  liberties  and  safety  of 
your  countrymen.  I  swear  it  by  the  spirits  of  your 
fathers,  who  went  forth  to  face  death  at  Marathon, 
by  the  men  who  stood  in  battle  array  at  Plata3a,  by 
those  who  fought  by  sea  at  Salamis  and  Artemisium, 
by  the  throng  of  Avorthies  now  reposing  in  the  public 
sepulchres, — all  gallant  men, — all  buried  by  the  City 
as  deserving  of  the  same  honor. — Yes,  ^schines, 
all, — not  the  victorious  and  successful  only, — all : — 
and  justly.  For  all  alike  did  the  work  of  noble 
men,  and  all  were  subject  to  the  influence  of  that 
fortune  which  the  Divinity  assigned  to  each.  And 
you,  accursed  scribe,  have  been  talking  of  the  tro- 
phies and  battles  and  great  deeds  of  the  olden  time, 
wishing  to  rob  me  of  the  good  opinion  and  honor  of 
mv  countrymen.  AVhich  one  of  those  deeds  does 
this  present  controversy  stand  in  need  of?  But,  oh 
third-rate  actor,  when  the  City's  leadership  of  Greece 


[207—212.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  189 

was  in  question,  in  what  disposition  did  it  become 
me  to  advise  when  I  arose  to  speak  ?     Was  it  to 
counsel  something  unworthy  of  these  our  citizens  ? 
—I  had  been  justly  put  to  death  had  I  done  so ! 
—My  fellow-citizens,  you  should  in  no  wise  delib- 
erate in  the  same  manner  in  a  private  controversy 
and  upon  a  public  question.     In  matters  of  every- 
day life  you  must  be  governed  by  the  particular  facts 
and  the  laws  applicable  to  them ;  in  aflairs  of  State 
you  must  judge  in  a  spirit  worthy  of  your  ancestors. 
And  when  you  are  called  to  decide  public  questions, 
each  one  of  you,  along  with  his  badge  and  stafl:^  of 
office,  must  take  up  the  spirit  of  the  City,  if  you 
deem  it  your  duty  to  act  worthily  of  your  ancestors. 

In  speaking,  however,  of  the  exploits  of  your  fore- 
fathers, I  have  passed  over  certain  decrees  and  trans- 
actions which  I  now  wish  to  advert  to.  I  therefore 
return  to  the  place  whence  I  digressed. 

AVhen  we  reached  Thebes  we  found  there  Philip's 
ambassadors,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Thessalians  and 
the  other  allies,-"Our  friends  dismayed,  theirs  jubi- 
lant. And  to  prove  that  I  do  not  say  this  to  aid  my 
cause,  read  the  letter  which  our  envoys  at  once  sent 
home.— This  fellow,  however,  has  reached  this  pitch 
of  malignity,  that  Avhatever  succeeds  for  us,  he  says, 
is  the  result  of  fortune,  not  from  me ;  but  if  anything 
turns  out  amiss,  I  and  my  ill-fortune  are  the  cause. 
Thus  it  seems,  I  the  counsellor  and  speaker,  accord- 
ing to  him,  have  no  share  in  what  is  counselled  or 


190 


DEMOSTHENES 


spoken  ;  while  of  any  disaster  to  our  arms,  any  defect 
in  generalsliip,  I  alone  am  to  be  treated  as  the  author. 
— AVhere  will  you  find  a  more  brutal  or  viler  calum- 
niator?— But  read  the  letter. 

LETTER.* 

AVhen  the  Assembly  met  they  gave  speech  first  to 
Philip's  ambassadors,  on  account  of  their  position  as 
allies,  and  these  harangued  the  people  in  high  praise 
of  Philip,  and  in  abuse  of  you,  rehearsing  every  hos- 
tile act  ever  done  by  you  against  the  Thebans.  And 
they  summed  up  by  saying  that  as  the  Thebans  had 
always  experienced  kindness  from  him  they  should  be 
favorable  to  Philip,— so,  as  they  had  ever  been  dealt 
Λvith  unjustly  by  you  they  should  now^  take  satisfac- 
tion, as  they  might  prefer,— either  by  letting  loose 
the  allies  upon  you,  or,  by  invading  Attica  them- 
selves. And  they  described,  as  they  thought,  the 
result  of  their  advice,  in  the  number  of  slaves  and 
cattle  and  other  good  things  which  would  be  poured 
into  Boeotia;  w^hereas  by  acting  upon  our  suggestions 
they  would  be  despoiled  in  like  manner,  if  the  war 
should  take  place  on  Theban  soil : — and  much  more 
in  the  same  strain. 

ΛVhat  we  replied  to  all  these  things,— to  all  and 
each  of  them,— I  would  give  my  life  to  tell  you;  but 
I  suppose,  as   the  times  have  now  passed  by,  you 


*  No  documents  are  hereafter  given,  but  merely  their  titles. 


[212—216.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  191 

would,  in  the  belief  that  a  deluge  has  sw^ept  away 
the  whole  matter,  regard  what  was  then  said  as  an 
idle  tale.  But  what  we  succeeded  in  obtaining,  and 
what  the  Thebans  replied  to  you,  now  hear.  Take 
this  letter  and  read  it. 

LETTER. 

As  the  result,  they  sent  for  and  called  you  to  them; 
and  you  departed  to  their  assistance.     To  pass  over 
what  occurred  in  the  interim,— they  received  you  so 
warmly,  that  Avhile  their  own  troops  w^ere  without 
the  Λvalls,  yours  w^ere  received  into  the  citadel,  into 
their  houses,  among  their  wives  and  children,  and 
whatever  they  held   most  precious.     And   on   that 
occasion  the  Thebans  pronounced  before  the  whole 
world  the  highest  eulogium  upon  you,  in  thus  testify- 
ing to  your  courage,  your  justice,  and  your  temper- 
ance.    For  in  electing  to  carry  on  the  contest  with 
you,  instead  of  against  you,  they  adjudged  you  to  be 
both  braver  and  justqr  in  your  demands  than  Philip : 
and  in  acting  as  they  did  in  regard  to  what  they 
and  all  mankind  guard  most  jealously— their  wives 
and  children— they  manifested   their   confidence  in 
your  virtue.    And  in  all  this,  Athenians,  they  shewed 
they  judged  you  rightly.     For  after  your  army  en- 
tered their  city,  no  one  made  even  an  unjust  charge 
ao-ainst  you,  so   decorous  was  your   conduct:— and 
twice  taking  part  in  the  first  engagements,  the  one  at 
the  river,  and  the  one  during  the  winter,  you  shewed 


192 


DEMOSTHENES 


yourselves  not  only  irreproachable,  but  admirable  for 
your  discipline,  your  preparation,  and  your  spirit. 
Meanwhile  praises  poured  in  upon  you  from  others, 
and  from  yourselves  processions  and  sacrifices  to  the 
Gods.  And  I  would  here  fain  ask  ^^schines  whether 
whilst  this  was  taking  place,  and  the  City  was  over- 
flowing with  zeal,  and  joy,  and  commendations,  he, 
too,  sacrificed  and  shared  in  the  general  exultation ; 
or  whether  he  sat  still  at  home  grieving  and  sorrow- 
ing and  disappointed  at  the  public  successes.  If  he 
appeared  and  took  part  with  the  rest,  does  he  not  now 
act  strangely,  or  rather  impiously,  if,  w^hen  he  him- 
self at  that  time  called  upon  the  Gods  as  witnesses  to 
our  success,  he  would  now  have  you  condemn  all 
this  as  ill  done,  after  you  had  invoked  the  Gods  in  its 
behalf?  If  he  did  not  then  shew^  himself,  is  he  not 
now  rightly  deserving  of  many  deaths,  because  while 
his  fellow-citizens  were  filled  with  joy,  he  was  look- 
ing with  disapproval  upon  all  that  w^as  being  done  ? 
Read  now  these  decrees. 


DECREES. 

AVhilst  we,  therefore,  were  thus  joyfully  sacrificing, 
and  the  Thebans  were  convinced  they  had  been  saved 
by  us,  it  was  brought  to  pass  that  we,  who,  through 
the  machinations  of  ^schines  and  his  friends,  had 
seemed  to  stand  in  need  of  assistance,  were  now 
able,  by  following  my  advice,  to  assist  others.  What 
cries  Philip  uttered,  and  in  what  straits  he  found 


[21&— 221.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


193 


himself  in  consequence,  you  shall  hear  from  the  let- 
ters which  he  sent  into  Peloponnesus.  Read  them 
now,  that  you  may  see  whether  my  perseverance, 
and  journeys,  and  efforts,  and  the  numerous  decrees 
wliich  this  man  has  been  tearing  to  pieces,  accom- 
plished anything. 

Athenians,  you  have  had  before  my  day  many  dis- 
tinguished and  great  orators,  the  illustrious  Callis- 
tratus,  Aristophon,  Kephalus,  Thrasybulus,  and  a 
thousand  others ;  but  none  of  them  gave  himself  up 
entirely  to  the  State.  lie  who  drew  the  decree  did 
not  go  on  the  embassy,  and  he  Avho  went  as  ambas- 
sador did  not  write  the  decree.  Each  one  reserved 
some  indulgence  for  himself,  and  in  case  of  reverse 
some  means  of  recovery.  **  AVhat,  then,"  shall  it  be 
asked,  "  do  you  surpass  all  others  in  strength  and 
boldness,  as  if  you  alone  were  able  to  do  every- 
thing?"— I  do  not  say  this :— but  I  felt  the  peril 
which  was  pressing  upon  the  City  to  be  so  great  that 
it  seemed  to  me  there  was  no  room  to  give  a  thought 
to  individual  security,  but  I  must  be  content  to  leave 
nothing  undone  which  ought  to  be  done  for  the 
public  safety.  I  was  fully  persuaded, — perhaps  I 
w^as  wTong, — but  I  was  fully  persuaded  that  no  one 
could  write  decrees  better  than  I,  or  do  what  w^as 
to  be  done,  or  act  as  ambassador  with  more  zeal  or 
more  uprightness.  For  these  reasons  I  placed  my- 
self in  every  position.     Read  now  Philip's  letters. 

15 


194 


DEMOSTHENES 


LETTERS. 


To  this  condition  did  my  policy  reduce  Philip, 
^schines ;  this  cry  for  assistance  was  he  compelled 
to  utter  throut^h  mv  action, — he  who  before  this  had 
been  used  to  utter  threatening  speeches  against  the 
City.  For  this  I  was  justly  crowned  by  my  fellow- 
citizens,  you  though  present  not  objecting;  and  Dion- 
das,  who  attacked  the  decree,  not  obtaining  even  a 
fifth  part  of  the  votes.  Read  me  here  the  decrees 
which  Λvere  absolved  by  the  law,  and  which  this  man 
did  not  attack. 

DECREES. 

These  decrees,  Athenians,  first  Avritten  by  Aris- 
tonicus,  recently  by  Ctesiphon,  are  in  the  self-same 
words  and  syllables :  and  these  decrees  this  ^schines 
not  only  did  not  attack,  but  did  not  even  join  with 
him  who  did.  But  if  he  now  assails  me  fairlv,  he 
might  then  much  more  fairly  have  arraigned  De- 
monicles  and  Hyperides,  Avho  moved  the  decree. 
And  why  ?  Because  Ctesiphon  may  \vell  refer  to 
the  decisions  of  the  Courts  and  to  the  fact  of  ^s- 
chines  not  attacking  them  then  although  they  moved 
the  very  same  decrees  which  Ctesiphon  is  moving, 
and  to  the  laws  barring  further  proceedings  in  such 
cases,  and  to  much  more  of  the  like  nature. 

Then  the  question  would  have  been  tried  upon  its 
own  merits,  before  any  such  advantage   had   been 


[221—228.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  195 

obtained.     Then,  methinks,  it  could  not  have  been 
done  as  he  is  now  doing,  raking  up  from  old  times 
and  decrees  what  no  one  knew  of  before,  nor  could 
have  supposed  would  be  referred  to  to-day  for  the 
purpose   of  slander, — perverting   dates,   and   substi- 
tuting false  motives  for  the  true  ones,  to  give  color  to 
what  is  said.     This  could  not  have  then  been  done. 
For  the  actual  condition  of  things  was  then  fresh, 
and  you   yourselves   cognizant  of  what   had   taken 
place;   and  having,  as  it  were,  everything  in  your 
hands,  those  decrees  w^ould  then  have  been  perfectly 
understood.     But  this  fellow,  avoiding  proofs  about 
these  matters  at  the  time,  comes  here  at  this  late 
day,  it  seems,  thinking  you  will  make  this  a  contest 
of  orators,  instead  of  an  inquiry  into  measures,— a 
criticism   of  words,  rather  than  of  what  was  most 
profitable  to  the  public. 

Then  he  sophisticates,  and  says,  when  you  are  here 
as  judges  you  should  discard  the  opinions  which  you 
had  of  us  both  at  home.  Just  as  w^hen  you  enter 
upon  a  reckoning  believing  there  is  a  surplus,  if 
there  is  found  an  exact  balance  and  nothing  remains, 
you  acquiesce  in  the  result :  so  should  you  now  pro- 
ceed in  the  same  way  with  the  subject  in  hand.  Only 
look  how  plainly  rotten  in  its  nature  is  everything 
which  is  not  fairly  done !  For,  from  this  sophist's 
own  proposition,  you  must  begin  by  assuming  that  I 
had  been  speaking  on  my  country's  side,  and  he  on 
Philip's.     He  would  not  try  to  persuade  you  to  the 


196 


DEMOSTHENES 


contrary,  unless  such  was  your  first  impression  as  to 
each  of  us.  That  he  is  not  acting  fairly  in  asking 
you  to  change  this  opinion  I  shall  shew  clearly — not 
by  counters,  (that  is  not  the  way  to  deal  with  public 
affairs,)  but  by  briefly  calling  to  remembrance  each 
prominent  event,  and  using  you  who  are  listening, 
both  as  witnesses  and  reckoners. 

My  policy,  which  he  condemns,  instead  of  letting 
the  Thebans  come  swooping  down  upon  your  coun- 
try in  concert  with  riiilij),  which  all  expected,  fixed 
them  on  your  side  against  him  ; — instead  of  bringing 
the  war  into  Attica,  kept  it  seven  hundred  stadia 
from  your  City,  on  the  Theban  frontier; — instead  of 
cruisers  from  Euboea  harassing  you,  Attica  was  kept 
free  from  attack  on  the  sea-side  during  the  whole 
w^ar; — instead  of  Philip  controlling  the  Hellespont 
by  taking  Byzantium,  the  Byzantines  were  on  your 
side  aojainst  him.  Does  this  seem  to  be  a  result  like 
the  casting  of  counters  ?  Is  it  right,  or  not,  to 
cancel  all  these  things ;  or  to  consider  whether  they 
shall  not  rather  be  kept  in  remembrance  forever?  I 
do  not  add,  that  when  Philip  became  altogether 
master,  it  was  manifest  others  had  the  experience  of 
his  harshness ;  while  of  his  kindness  adopted  with 
ulterior  view^s  and  displayed  towards  you,  you  for- 
tunately reaped  the  fruits.  I  pass  this  over  alto- 
gether. 

Moreover,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  he  who 
would  criticise  an  orator  fairly,  and  not  slander  him, 


I 

I 


[228—235.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  197 

does  not  find  fault  with  such  things  as  this  man  does, 
fabricating  instances,  mimicking  my  words  and  per- 
sonal  appearance !     Do  you  not  see  how  very  im- 
portant this   is?— The  policy   of  the   Greeks   is  to 
depend  upon  Avhether  I  made  use  of  this  word  in- 
stead of  that,  or  whether  I  moved  my  hand  in  this 
direction  rather  than  in  that!     ^o\  he  would  have 
examined  the  very  facts  themselves.    AVhat  resources, 
what  credit  had  the  City  when  I  entered  into  public 
life?  did  I  add  to  them  whilst  I  was  in  power?  and 
what  was  the  condition  of  our  adversaries  ?     Then, 
if  I  had  diminished  her  means  the  blame  would  have 
fallen  on  me  upon  his  shewing  it:  if,  on  the  con- 
trary, I  had    much  increased  them,  he  should  not 
have 'calumniated  me.     Since  you  have  avoided  this 
course,  I  shall  adopt  it.     And  do  you,  judges,  see 
that  I  present  my  argument  fairly. 

The  resources  of  the  City  were  confined  at  that 
time  to  some  of  the  islands,  and  those  the  weakest ; 
for   neither  Chios,  nor  Rhodes,  nor  Corcyra  were 
with  us.     The  amount  of  contributions  reached  but 
forty-five  talents,  and  even  that  was  anticipated.     Of 
horsemen  and  foot  there  were  none  except  the  City 
troops.      But   the    thing  most   to  be   dreaded,  and 
which  was  most  favorable  to  our  enemies,  was  that 
these   men   had   brought   all    our    neighbors   much 
nearer  to  a  state  of  hostility  than  friendliness,— the 
Megarians,  the  Thebans,  the  Euboeans.     Such  then 
was^our  condition,  and  no  one  can  say  it  was  other- 


198 


DEMOSTHENES 


wise.  Look  on  the  other  hand  at  the  position  of 
Philip  with  whom  we  were  then  contending.  First 
of  all,  he  had  the  absolute  control  of  his  soldiery, 
which  in  war  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  Next, 
his  troops  were  always  handling  their  arms; — he 
abounded  in  resources,  and  his  hand  was  ready  to 
execute  what  his  head  conceived ; — he  neither  pro- 
claimed his  views  in  advance  by  decrees,  nor  was  he 
bound  to  express  them  openly,  nor  was  he  in  dread 
of  hostile  attacks,  nor  of  prosecutions; — in  line,  he 
was  responsible  to  no  one: — he  was  king,  lord, 
master.  I  Λvho  was  opposed  to  him,  (it  is  proper 
you  should  consider  this  too,) — what  was  I  the  master 
of?  [NOthing.  Even  the  right  to  speak  I  did  not 
possess  exclusively.  This  right  you  accorded  equally 
to  those  who  were  in  Philip's  pay  and  to  me.  And 
whenever  these  men  prevailed  against  me,  (and 
there  was  much  of  this  as  each  one  found  a  pretext,) 
you  Λvent  away  after  really  advising  in  your  enemy's 
behalf. 

notwithstanding  these  great  disadvantages,  I  con- 
firmed the  Euboeans,  the  Acheeans,  the  Corinthians, 
the  Thebans,  the  Megarians,  the  Leucadians,  and 
the  Corcyrieans,  as  your  allies.  They  furnished  us 
fifteen  thousand  men  and  two  thousand  horse  over 
and  above  the  fiit^-'s^  own  forces  :  and  I  obtained 
from  them  as  large  a  subsidy  as  I  was  able.  Should 
you  discuss,  ^schines,  the  fairness  of  our  conditions 
Λvith  the  Thebans,  the  Byzantines,  the  Euba'ans,  and 


[235—241.]         ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  199 

Others,  and  now  find  fault  with  them,-first,  you  are 
ignorant  that  of  the   triremes  used   in   the   former 
«""aval  war  by  the  Greeks,-three  hundred  in  all,- 
Athens  supplied  two  hundred.     Nor  did  she  think 
herself    injured   by   this,   or    prosecute    those   who 
advised   it,  or   shew  displeasure  in   regard  to  it,— 
(this  would  have  been  base,)-but  she  rather  gave 
thanks   to   the  Gods  that  in  the  common  peril  of 
Greece  she  was  able  to  furnish  twice  as  many  ships 
as  all  the  others  towards  the  common  safety.     Be- 
sides, you  are  bestowing  an  empty  favor  upon  your 
fellow-citizens  in  slandering  me.     AVhy  do  you  now 
tell   us  what   should   have   been   done  then,  when, 
although  present,  you  did  not  state  your  views,  if  in- 
deed they  were  practicable  ?    In  the  existing  juncture 
we  were  obliged  to  accept  not  what  we  desired,  but 
the  best  that  could  then  be  obtained.     There  was  a 
man  ready  to  bid  against  us,  eager  to  welcome  all 
who  might  be  driven  from  us,  and  prepared  to  lavish 
money  to  secure  his  ends. 

But  if  I  am  now  to  be  blamed  for  what  was  actu- 
ally done,  what  would  you  not  have  heard  if,  by 
reason  of  my  bargaining  too  closely,  the  allies  had 
<.one  off  from  us  and  joined  Philip,  and  he  had  re- 
mained master  with  Euboea,  Thebes,  and  Byzantium 

united  to  him? 

AVhat  would  not  these  faithless  men  have  then 
done  and  said?  AVhy,  that  when  the  allies  wished 
to  remain  with  us  they  had  been  surrendered  and 


200 


DEMOSTHENES 


driven  off;— tliat  Philip  had  got  command  of  the 
Hellespont  through  the  Byzantines,  and  could  pre- 
vent the  transport  of  food  to  Greece ;— that  an  op- 
pressive border  war  had  been  brought  directly  by 
means  of  the  Thebans  into  Attica;— that  the  sea 
had  been  closed  by  the  privateers  who  issued  out  of 
Euboea.— AVould  they  not  have  said  all  this,  and 
much  more  of  the  same  kind? 

A  wicked  thing,  Athenians,  a  wicked  thing  is  the 
calumniator  always,  thoroughly  censorious  and  slan- 
derous.   This  fellow,  dishonest  by  nature,  is  incapable 
from  the  beginning  of  doing  anything  straightfor- 
ward and  liberal ;  this  tragic  ape,  this  rustic"  (Eno- 
maus,  this  counterfeit  orator!     In  what  has  his  skill 
ever  come  to  his  country's  aid  ?— Do  you  now  babble 
to  us  about  the  past  ?— Just  as  if  the  physician  wlio 
had  been  attending  a  sick  man  should  give  no  advice, 
nor  prescribe  anything  by  which  the  disease  might  be 
cured,  \vhen  the  patient  dies  and  his  funeral  is  taking 
place,  should  follow  him  to  the  tomb,  and  there  cry 
out,   "  If  this  man  had  only  done  thus   and  so  he 
would  have  been  alive  to-day."     Fool !  are  you  now 
telling  us  all  this  ? 

You  will  find,  then,  that  the  disasters  to  the  City 
which  you,  wretch  that  you  are,  are  rejoicing  over 
instead  of  lamenting,  were  in  no  wise  brought  about 
by  me.  You  should  look  at  it  in  this  light.— Never 
up  to  this  time,  when  I  was  sent  as  ambassador  by 
you,  did  I  return   worsted  by  the   ambassadors  of 


[241—247.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   fTfESiPHON.  201 

Philip;   neither  from  Thessaly,  nor  Ambracia,  nor 
from  the  Illvrians,  nor  the  Thracian  kings,  nor  from 
Byzantium,  nor  from  anywhere,  nor,  last  of  all,  re- 
cently from  Thebes.     But  everything  in  wliich  his 
ambassadors   were   overcome   by   me   in   argument, 
Avith  arms  in  his  hands  he  overthrew.     AYhy  then 
do  you  demand  an  account  from  me  of  these  things, 
and  whv  are  you  not  ashamed  to  sneer  at  my  cow- 
ardice,   expecting    me    single-lianded    to    overcome 
Philip's  power,  and  this  too  by  Avords?     AVhat  else 
was  I  master  of?     Neither  of  the  spirit  of  any  one, 
nor  of  the  fortune  of  war,  nor  of  the  leadership ;  yet 
you  demand  of  me  an  account  of  all  this, — oblique 
and  indirect  that  you  are  !     Of  everything  which  the 
statesman  should  be  answerable  for,  take  the  fullest 
account :— I  ask  not  to  be  excused.     AVhat  are  these 
things  ?— To  watch  over  the  concoction  of  measures, 
to  ascertain  them  even  in  advance,  to  proclaim  their 
scope  to  the  people.    All  this  I  did ;  and  everywhere, 
the  delays,  doubts,  ignorance,  party  spirit,— insepa- 
rable defects  of  all  our  governments,— all  these  I  re- 
duced to  a  minimum,  and  even  turned  to  harmony 
and  union^  and  to  an  eitbrt  to  do  w^hat  was  needed. 
Yes,  all  this  I  did,  and  no  one  ever  found  anything 
in  this  respect  omitted  by  me. 

Should  any  one  ask,  by  what  means  then  did  Philip 
obtain  his  ends ;  would  not  all  answer,  by  his  army, 
by  his  largesses,  by  corrupting  those  in  office?  I 
neither  controlled  the  City's  forces,  nor  the  general. 


202 


DEMOSTHENES 


nor  am  I  therefore  accountable  for  anvthins:  done  in 
these  respects.  But  in  truth  I  did  overmaster  Philip 
when  I  succumbed  not  to  his  offers.  For  as  he  who 
is  offering  a  bribe  overcomes  the  receiv^er  in  pur- 
chasing him,  so  the  man  who  does  not  take  the  bribe 
and  is  not  corrupted  triumphs  over  him  who  attempts 
to  buy  him. — In  this  respect  the  City  never  suffered 
defeat  through  me. 

This  is  what  I  furnished  to  justify  the  inscription 
of  Ctesiphon's  decree  concerning  me, — this  and  much 
more  of  the  same  kind.  AVhat  you  yourselves  fur- 
nished I  will  now  state.  Immediatelv  after  the 
battle,  the  people,  knowing  and  seeing  all  that  I  had 
done,  in  the  midst  of  their  alarm  and  danger  when  it 
ΛΛΌuld  not  have  been  surprising  had  many  of  them 
felt  unkindly  towards  me,  took  my  advice  before  any 
other  as  to  the  public  safety.  All  that  was  done  in 
this  direction,  the  ordering  of  the  garrisons,  the 
digging  of  the  trenches,  the  contribution  for  the 
w^alls,  was  done  under  my  decrees.  Besides,  I  was 
elected  Conmiissioner  for  the  supply  of  food  over  all 
competitors. 

My  enemies  immediately,  banding  together,  and 
plotting  my  ruin,  stirred  up  against  me  prosecutions, 
citations  to  account,  impeachments,  and  all  that  sort 
of  thing,  not  at  first  through  themselves,  but  princi- 
pally through  others,  that  they  might  not  be  recog- 
nized.— For  you  must  surely  recollect  and  know  that 
at  that  time  I  was  prosecuted  almost  every  day ;  and 


[247—251.]        ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  203 

neither  the  headlong  stupidity  of  Sosicles,  the  slan- 
ders  of  Philocrates,   the   madness  of  Diondas   and 
Melantus,  nor  any  other  expedients  were  left  untried 
by  them  against  me.     In  all  these  trials  I  was  right- 
eously acquitted;  first  through  the  favor  of  the  Gods, 
next  through  your  sense  of  justice  and  that  of  the 
other  Athenians.     I  was  declared  to  have  been  up- 
right in  everything,  and  this  by  the  verdict  of  sworn 
juries  having  due  regard  to  their  oaths.     In  the  im- 
peachments you  not  only  acquitted  me,  but  you  re- 
fused the  fifth  part  of  your  votes  to  the  prosecutors, 
so  correct  did  you  adjudge  my  conduct  to  have  been. 
In  the  prosecutions  I  was  shewn  both  to  have  coun- 
selled and  spoken  strictly  within  the  law.     In  the 
audits  of  my  accounts  you  pronounced  that  my  con- 
duct had  been  in  all  respects  pure  and  upright.     If 
all  this,  then,  was  so,  what  title  was  it  becoming  or 
proper  for  Ctesiphon  to  afiix  to  my  conduct?    Should 
it  not  have  been  what  the  people  had  itself  declared? 
—what    the   sworn  juries   had   pronounced  ?— what 
had  ])een  adjudged  as  the  truth  by  every  one? 

But,  says  my  accuser,  what  an  honorable  career 
was  that  of  Kephalus,— he  never  underwent  a  prose- 
cution at  all.  And  a  lucky  thing  it  was  for  him,  by 
Jupiter !  But  is  he  not  as  much  to  be  commended 
who,  though  often  prosecuted,  has  never  yet  been 
convicted, ^and  in  everything  of  which  he  was  ac- 
cused is  shewn  to  have  acted  uprightly  ?  Nay,  more, 
Athenians;  so  far  as  this  ^schines  is  concerned  I 


204 


DEMOSTHENES 


•can  say  what  he  said  of  Kephalus;  for  he  himself 
never  either  impeached  or  prosecuted  me.  So  by 
you  yourself  I  am  adjudged  to  be  no  whit  an  inferior 
citizen  to  Kephalus. 

The  ill-will  and  malignity  of  ^schines  we  can  see 
on  all  sides,  but  nowhere  is  it  more  prominent  than 
in  what  he  says  about  fortune.     My  own  opinion  is, 
that  the  man  who  casts  up  to  another  his  ill-fortune 
acts  most  absurdly.      Since  when  he  believes  he  is 
most  successful  and  has  his  fortune  most  secure,  he 
does  not  know  that  it  λυΙΙΙ  last  until  evening,  how 
can  he  with  any  propriety  plume  himself  upon  it,  or 
reproach  another  with  his  ?     But  since  he  has  spoken 
in  this  way  upon  many  subjects,  and  is  most  arrogant 
in  his  contention  about  this,  let  us  see,  Athenians, 
whether  I  shall  not  express  myself  with  more  truth 
and  humanity  about  fortune  than  he  has  done.     I 
regard  the  fortune  of  the  City  as  good,  and  I  find 
that  the  Dodonean  Jupiter  has  so  declared  to  us ;  but 
the  prevailing  fortune  of  every  one  is  at  this  time 
hard  and  terrible.     AVhat  Greek,  what  Barbarian  is 
not  at  present  suffering  most  severely  ?     I  reo-ard  it 
especially  as  part  of  the  City's  good  fortune  that  she 
chose  the  nobler  part,  and  so  choosing  has  prospered 
more  than  the  very  Greeks  who  thought  that  in  be- 
traying us  they  would  be  more  successful  than  we. 
To  fail  sometimes  indeed,  and  not  to  have  everything 
succeed  as  we  had  expected,  is  only  a  part  of  that 
common  fatality  which  the  City  experienced  when  it 


[251—257.]         ON   BEHALF  OF   CTESIPHON.  205 

fell  upon  us.     My  own  private  fortune  or  that  of  any 
of  us  is,  in  my  opinion,  to  be  compared  only  with  the 
private  fortune  of  others.     This  is  my  view  of  the 
subject,  and  is  probably  also  yours;  and  it  seems  to 
me  to  be  right  and  proper.     But  he  who  says  that 
my  private  fortune  should  control  that  of  this  great 
Coriimonwealth,  is  comparing  a  little  and  insignificant 
thing  with  a  great  and  mighty  one.   How  can  this  be  ? 
If,  however,  it  pleases  ^schines  to  criticise  my 
fortune,  let  him  look  to  his  own,  and  if  he  finds  mine 
better  than  his,  let  him  cease  carping  at  it.     Look  at 
it,  then,  from  the  very  beginning.     And  let  no  one,  in 
God's  name,  think  there  is  anything  heartless  in  my 
making  this  comparison  !     I  think  it  most  irrational 
for  anv  one  to  insult  poverty,  or  because  a  man  has 
been  reared  in  prosperity  that  he  should  on  that  ac- 
count take  honor  to  himself.     But  in  consequence  of 
the  vituperations  and  slanders  of  this  foul-tongued 
fellow  I  am  constrained  to  speak  as  I  am  about  to 
do ;  I  shall  endeavor,  however,  to  be  as  moderate  as 

I  properly  can. 

I  happened,  ^schines,  when  a  child  to  be  sent  to 
proper  schools,  and  to  have  sufficient  means  to  pre- 
vent my  resorting  to  anything  base  or  low.  ΛVhen 
I  came  to  man's  estate  my  conduct  was  conformable 
to  my  education.  I  became  choregus,  trireme-mas- 
ter,  and  was  rated  amongst  the  contributories  to  the 
State's  relief.  I  shrank  from  no  duty  public  or 
private  by  which  I  could  be  useful  either  to  the  City 


I  fi 


, 


206 


DEMOSTHENES 


or  my  friends.  AVhen  I  afterwards  devoted  myself 
to  public  affairs,  I  performed  political  services  for 
which  I  was  oftentimes  honored  with  a  crown,  both 
by  my  own  country  and  the  other  Greeks :  and  never 
could  you  my  enemies  assert  that  I  put  my  hand  to 
anything  that  I  should  not  liave  properly  undertaken. 
This  is  the  fortune  that  has  chanced  to  me;  and 
although  I  might  say  much  more  about  it,  I  pass  it 
by,  as  I  wish  no  one  to  take  oftence  at  mv  referrinsr 
to  matters  which  have  been  honorable  to  me. 

Let  us  now  consider  your  fortune,  great  man  that 
you  are,  who  have  spit  upon  every  one  else,  and  see 
what  it  has  been.  As  a  child  you  were  brought  up 
in  penury,  attending  on  the  school  along  with  your 
father,  grinding  the  ink,  sponging  the  seats,  sweep- 
ing out  the  room,  and  such  like  menial  tasks,  not 
proper  for  a  free-born  youth.  AVhen  you  emerged 
from  boyhood,  you  were  employed  in  reading  from 
the  books  of  your  mother  the  diviner,  and  the  like ; 
at  night,  wrapping  the  initiated  in  fawn  skins,  pour- 
ing water  upon  them,  purifying  them,  rubbing  them 
down  with  clay  and  bran,  raising  them  after  the  puri- 
fication, and  teaching  them  to  chant  "/Aare  avoided 
the  bad,  I  have  found  the  good :"  you  prided  yourself 
upon  howling  as  no  one  else  could,  and  I  think  my- 
self—don't you,  Athenians— that  a  man  Λvho  can 
harangue  so  loudly  must  certainly  have  been  able  to 
howl  sonorously.  In  the  daytime  you  led  strolling 
bands  along  the  highways  crowned  with  white  poplar 


[257—263.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  207 

and  fennel,  pressing  the  big-jawed  serpents,  lifting 
them  over  your  head,  bawling  out  Evoe  Saboi,  and 
dancing  to  t^  refrain  of  Hyes  Attes,  Attes  Hyes. 

You  were  also  called  by  the  beldames  their  chorus- 
leader,  rhapsodist,  basket-carrier,  fan-bearer,  and 
such  like  names,  receiving  pay  from  them  in  sops, 
cakes,  and  rolls.  What  man  would  not  congratulate 
himself,  truly,  upon  such  a  fortune  ? 

You  were  next  enrolled  as  a  citizen,— how  I  know 
not,  but  you  were  enrolled,-and  you  immediately 
chose  the  noble  employment  of  clerk  and  servant  to 
some   petty  official.     Removed  from  this  place,  in 
which  you    did    everj^hing  you  have    condemned 
others  for  doing,— but  not  disgracing  in  it,  by  Jove, 
any  part  of  your  past  life,-you  hired  yourself  to 
those   ranters   called  actors,  Simylus  and  Socrates. 
You  played  third-rate  parts  with  them,  picking  up 
the  figs  and  grapes  and  olives  which  were  thrown  at 
you,  and  as  if  you  had  been  a  fruit-dealer  from  the 
rustic  neighborhoods,  you  made  more  in  this  way 
than  from  your  acting;  since  you  got  nothing  but 
knocks  from  the  spectators,  from  whom  you  had  often 
to  run  for  your  lives.     For  the  war  between  you  and 
the  audience  was  implacable  and  relentless.     Many 
hard  knocks  indeed  you  carried  away  with  you,  and 
hence  you  look  upon  others  as  cowards  who  have  not 
had  the  like  experience. 

But  as  it  might  be  urged  your  poverty  was  respon- 
sible for  most  of  these  things,  I  now  turn  to  the  vices 


!    '•! 


208 


DEMOSTHENES 


of  your  character  itself.  You  played  such  a  part 
in  public  afiliirs  (when  you  thought  of  taking  to 
them)  that  you  led  the  life  of  a  hare,  in  fear  and 
trembling  when  your  country  prospered,  and  even 
expecting  punishment  for  the  crimes  of  which  you 
knew  yourself  guilty :— when  adversity  overtook  us, 
you  strutted  forth  boldly  in  the  sight  of  all.  The 
WTetch  who  can  take  courage  from  the  death  of  a 
thousand  of  his  fellow-citizens,  what  should  he  not 
justly  suffer  at  the  hands  of  the  survivors  ?  I  must 
omit  now  much  that  I  had  intended  to  say  about  him, 
feeling  that  I  should  not  mention  inconsiderately  all 
that  is  infamous  and  disgraceful,  but  only  so  much 
as  is  not  disgraceful  for  me  to  speak  of 

Let  us,  however,  make  a  comparison  of  the  cir- 
cumstances of  your  life  and  mine,  not  rancorously, 
but  with  moderation ;  and  then  let  us  ask  our  fellow- 
citizens  which  fortune  they  would  any  of  them  prefer 
to  have. 

You  taught  in  schools,  I  attended  them;  you 
assisted  at  initiations,  I  \vas  initiated  in  the  hiirhest 
mysteries ;  you  danced  in  choruses,  I  supplied  them 
to  the  people ;  you  were  a  petty  scribe,  I  an  orator ; 
you  acted  third-rate  parts,  I  was  a  spectator;  you 
broke  down  in  them,  I  hissed;  you  brought  forward 
measures  in  favor  of  our  enemies,  I  for  my  country: 
— I  omit  the  rest.  To-day  I  am  on  trial  for  a  crown, 
but  I  am  admitted  to  be  guiltless  of  any  crime;  while 
you  are  shewn  to  be  a  libeller  and  a  calumniator,  and 


[263—269.]         ON   BEHALF  OF  OTESIPHON.  209 

are  even  in  danger  whether  you  shall  continue  this 
trade,  or  be  driven  from  it  by  not  receiving  the  fifth 
part  of  the  votes.  A  lucky  fortune  indeed  (don't 
you  see)  you  have  enjoyed,— and  yet  you  find  fault 

with  mine  as  bad  I 

Here  now  I  Avill  read  to  you  the  evidence  of  the 
services  I  have  rendered  to  the  public,  and  do  you 
at  the  same  time  recite  the  verses  which  you  once 
murdered : 

"  From  the  drear  tombs  and  darkness'  gates  I  come ;" 

and 

"  111  to  proclaim  I  wish  not  here  to  do." 

May  the  Gods  bring  ill  to  you,  and  may  your  felFow- 
citizens  confound  you,  wdcked  citizen  and  ^vretched 
declaimer  that  you  are  !    Read  the  evidence. 

EVIDENCE. 

Such  have  I  been  in  matters  in  which  the  State 
was  concerned.  As  to  my  private  life,  if  you  do  not 
all  know  I  have  ever  been  kind  and  liberal,  com- 
passionate to  the  unfortunate,  I  shall  be  silent;— I 
shall  neither  speak  nor  offer  testimony  as  to  whether 
I  have  ransomed  citizens  from  captivity,  or  supplied 
marriage  portions  to  their  daughters,  or  the  like. 
This  is  my  view  of  such  things.  I  am  of  opinion 
that  while  the  party  obliged  should  never  forget  the 

16 


210 


DEMOSTHENES 


obligation,  he  who  confers  it  should  dismiss  it  from 
his  mind,  if  the  one  desires  to  discharge  the  part  of 
an  upright  person,  and  the  other  of  a  man  of  honor. 
To  bring  to  remembrance  and  to  proclaim  one's  acts 
of  beneficence  differs  little  from  reproaching  the 
recipient.  I  shall  not  do  this,  nor  can  I  be  forced 
to  it.  However  I  may  be  thought  of  in  this  respect, 
I  am  well  content. 

Having  now  passed  altogether  from  private  matters, 
I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  more  about  public. 

If  you  can  now  shew,  ^schines,  that  a  human 
being  under  the  sun,  Greek  or  Barbarian,  has  not 
sufiered  wrong,  first  from  the  rule  of  Philip,  after- 
wards from  that  of  Alexander,  I  will  give  up  to  you 
my  fortune — or  my  ill-fortune,  if  you  choose  to  call 
it  so — as  the  cause  of  all.  If,  on  the  other  hand, 
people  who  have  never  looked  upon  me  or  heard  me 
speak  have  been  all  grievously  injured, — not  merely 
individuals,  but  whole  communities  and  nations, — 
how  much  more  fair  and  true  does  it  seem,  that  to 
the  common  lot  of  humanity — some  cruel  course  of 
events  like  nothing  ever  seen — should  be  attributed 
the  happening  of  these  disasters  !  Disregarding  this, 
however,  you  condemn  me  and  my  policy,  when  it  is 
apparent  that  the  whole  blame,  or  at  least  a  heavy 
part  of  it,  should  fall  upon  all,  and  upon  you  in  par- 
ticular. Let  it  be  granted  that  I  obtained  the  sole 
control  of  affairs,  was  it  not  open  to  all  of  you  to 
attack  me?     And  if  you  were  always  present  in  our 


[269—276.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  211 

assemblies,  and  the  City  looked  to  the  public  discus- 
sion of  what  was  best  for  her  interests,  and  then  my 
counsels  appeared  best  to  all,  and  to  none  more  than 
you,  (for  from  no  kindness  to  me  did  you  surrender 
your  hopes,  the  public  esteem,  and  your  honors  to 
my  propositions-thus  shewing  you  were  vanquished 
by  the  truth,  and  had  nothing  better  to  offer,)  what 
a  monstrous  wrong  and  injustice  are  you  not  now 
committing  in  condemning  measures  than  which  you 
could  then  propose  nothing  more  useful ! 

See  how  this  question  is  settled  by  the  opinion  of 
the  whole  world.     Does  a  man  purposely  do  wrong, 
he  is  the  object  of  anger  and  punishment.     Does  he 
simply  err  unwittingly,  pardon  and  not  punishment 
is  extended  to  him.    Has  a  man  undertaken  to  devote 
himself  to  what  seemed  to  be  the  public  good,  and, 
without  dishonesty  or  fault,  failed  in  common  with 
every  one  else  ;  it  is  unjust  either  to  punish  or  blame 
him,— he  is  the  object  of  sympathy.     This  is  clear 
not  only  from  the  written  law,  but  from  the  unwritten 
law  of^lature  and  man's  moral  constitution.     But 
^schines  so  far  exceeds  every  one  in  cruelty  and 
malignity  that  the  very  things  which  he  once  looked 
upon"  as    misfortunes   to    me    he    now   imputes    as 

crimes. 

Then  with  a  seeming  air  of  candor  and  kindness 
he  has  asked  you  to  watch  and  keep  your  eyes  upon 
me,  lest  I  might  deceive  and  beguile  you ;  calling  me 
a  wonderful  speaker,  a  trickster,  a  sophist,  and  the 


212 


DEMOSTHENES 


like ;  and  in  this  way  by  first  attributing  to  another 
his  ΟΛνη  bad  qualities,  he  prevents  his  hearers  from 
inquiring  into  the  character  of  him  who  brings  the 
charge.  But  I  am  sure  you  all  see  through  this  fel- 
low, and  are  convinced  that  these  vices  are  a  part  of 
his  own  nature  and  not  of  mine.  For  I  know  full 
well  that  my  skill  in  oratory, — (I  suppose  I  have  some 
skill  in  speaking,  although  I  am  convinced  it  is  the 
hearers  who  are  usually  the  masters  of  the  speaker's 
power,  for  according  as  you  regard  and  shew  kindness 
to  him,  do  his  talents  seem  to  display  themselves, — ) 
if  then  I  possess  this  faculty,  you  have  always  found 
it  exerted  for  your  advantage  in  public  affairs,  never 
against  you,  or  for  my  private  ends,  ^schines,  on 
the  other  hand,  has  either  been  always  speaking  in 
behalf  of  your  enemies,  or  against  those  he  thought 
had  injured  or  offended  him.  Never  has  he  employed 
his  talents  in  the  cause  of  justice,  or  for  the  State's 
advantage.  An  upright  citizen  should  never  ask  the 
judges  assembled  in  the  public  interest  to  consider 
and  pass  upon  his  private  griefs  and  animosities;  nor 
should  he  even  approach  them  on  such  subjects  :  least 
of  all  should  he  have  such  feelings  in  his  heart, — or 
if  he  cannot  help  this,  they  should  be  held  in  mod- 
eration, and  under  control. 

On  what  occasions  then  should  the  statesman  and 
the  orator  be  vehement  ? — AVhen  some  vital  interest  of 
his  country  is  in  danger,  or  in  matters  urged  against 
the   public   enemy. — In   such   cases,   properly  : — for 


[276-282.]  ON   BEHALF   OF  CTESIPHON.  213 

they  much  concern  the  zealous  and  the  honest  citi- 
zen     But  when  of  no  public  wrong,  and  I  aver  ot 
no  private  one,  he  ever  justly  accused  me,-neither 
acainst  the  City  nor  himself,-to  be  getting  up  an 
accusation  as  to  whether  I  should  be  crowned  and 
honored,  and  to  be  expending  this  flood  of  words,- 
ite  is  indeed  an  exhibition   of  private  hatred  and 
malice,  the  mark  of  a  mean  spirit,  not  of  an  honor- 
able  man.-And  if  he  declines  a  direct  encounter 
with  me,  attacking  in  form  another,  this  is  the  very 

depth  of  baseness.  / 

You  seem  to  me  thus,  ^schines,  from  your  con-^ 
duct,  to  have  undertaken  this  accusation  to  make  a 
display  of  your  rhetoric  and  your  fine  voice,  not  for 
the  punishment  of  any  crime.     But  it  is  not  the 
language   of   the   orator   or   the   tone   of  his   voice 
which  are  held  in  value,  but  the  choice  of  what  is 
acceptable  to  one's   fellow-citizens,  the   hating   and 
loving  a.  our  country  does.     The  orator  with  such 
feelings   will   say   everything  with  honest  warmth. 
He  who  cherishes  those  from  whom  the  City  appre- 
bends  danger,  does  not  ride  upon  the  same  anchor 
with  his  fellow-citizens,  for  he  can  never  have  the 
same  expectation  of  safety  with  them.     But-do  you 
see  9—1  have ;    for  I  have  always  adopted  a  course 
conformable  with  my  country's  interest,  nor  had  I 
ever  anything  separate  and  apart  from  her.     Is  that 
80  witli  you  ?     How  can  it  be  ?     Immediately  after 
the  battle,  you  went  as   ambassador  to  Philip  the 


214 


DEMOSTHENES 


cause  of  all  our  City's  woes,  and  yet,  as  all  men 
know,  you  had  formerly  refused  this  office.  ΛΥΙιο 
then  has  deceived  the  City  ?  Is  it  not  he  who  does 
not  say  what  he  thinks  ?  AVhom  does  the  herald 
justly  denounce  at  the  opening  of  our  Assemblies? 
Is  it  not  such  a  man  as  this  ?  AYhat  heavier  accusa- 
tion can  be  brought  against  a  public  man  than  that 
his  tono^ue  does  not  utter  the  thou£:hts  which  are  in 
his  heart?  You  have  been  proved  to  be  such  a  man. 
And  yet  you  lift  up  your  voice  loudly  here,  and 
dare  to  look  upon  the  faces  of  your  felloAv-citizens ! 
As  if  they  do  not  know  who  you  are !  As  if  they 
are  all  in  such  a  state  of  stupor  and  oblivion  as  not 
to  remember  the  words  which  you  publicly  pro- 
nounced when  you  asserted  and  asseverated  there 
was  no  connection  between  you  and  Philip,  and  that 
I  had,  contrary  to  the  truth,  so  charged  against  you 
on  account  of  private  enmity !  Scarcely  had  the 
ne\vs  of  the  battle  been  proclaimed,  when,  forgetting 
all  this,  you  instantly  confessed  and  laid  claim  to  a 
friendship  and  intimacy  Λvith  Philip,  by  those  names 
covering  up  the  hire  and  salary  you  had  taken  from 
him.  ΛVith  what  propriety,  ^schines,  can  you  as- 
sert that  Philip  was  ever  host,  friend,  or  intimate  of 
the  son  of  Glaucothea  the  timbrel-player !  I  shall 
never  believe  it.  You  were  bribed  to  bring  to 
nought  everything  which  might  have  availed  your 
country,  and  yet,  standing  confest  a  traitor,  and  a 
self-convicted  libeller,  you   attack   and   charge   me 


1282-287.]         ON  BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  215 

forsootli  for  things  of  which  you  well  know  any  one 
is  rather  the  cause  than  I. 

Many  and  great  things,  ^schiues,  has  the  City  un- 
dertaken and  succeeded  in  through  me,  and  of  tins  she 
has  never  been  unmindful.     Here  is  a  proof.     AVheu 
the  citizens,  immediately  after  the  fatal  event,  were 
about  to  choose  an  orator  to  pronounce  the  oration 
over  those  who  had  fallen,  they  neither  selected  you 
although  put  forward  on  account  of  your  fine  voice, 
«or  Demades  although  he  had  just  negotiated  the 
peace,  nor  Ilegemon,  nor  any  of  you,  but  me      Ana 
notwithstanding  you  and  Fythocles   came  forward, 
and,  oh  Jupiter  and  all  the  Gods,  savagely  and  ruth- 
lessly attacked  me,  accusing  me  of  the  same  things 
vou  have  urged  against  me  to-day,  they  all  the  more 
selected  me !    You  are  not  ignorant  of  the  reason 
but  I  will  tell   you  all  the  same.     The  people  had 
witnessed  the  devotion  and  good-will  with  which  I 
administered  their  affairs,  and  at  the  same  time  your 
misconduct  and  dishonesty.    What  you  had  openly 
disavowed  with  protestations  when  our  aftairs  were 
prosperous,  in  the  City's  adversity  you  openly  pro- 
fessed.    Those,  therefore,  who  found  safoty  for  their 
opinions   in  the  public  distress,  the  people  looked 
upon  as  their  enemies  from  the  first,  as  they  had  now 
shewn  themselves  so  when  occasion  oftered.     More- 
over they  thought  it  more  becoming  that  he  who  was 
to  pronounce  the  foneral  oration,  and  was  to  cele- 
brate the  valor  of  the  men  who  had  fallen,  should 


216 


DEMOSTHENES 


not  have  lived  under  the  same  roof  and  drunk  of  the 
same  cup  with  those  \vho  had  heen  arra^'cd  against 
them; — that  those  who  had  rejoiced  and  sung  pteans 
over  yonder  upon  the  misfortunes  of  Greece  with  the 
authors  of  her  ruin,  should  not  come  forward  here  to 
he  honored; — that  the  orator  should  not  feiflrn  to 
weep  over  their  fate  with  his  voice  only,  but  should 
grieve  from  his  heart.  This  they  felt  was  the  case 
with  themselves,  with  me^  but  not  with  you.  Such 
Avere  the  reasons  whv  I  was  chosen,  and  not  vou. 
And  not  only  did  the  people  thus  act,  but  the  fathers 
and  brothers  of  the  slain  selected  by  the  people  to 
discharge  the  funeral  rites,  did  the  same  thing.  For 
when  it  became  necessary  that  the  funeral  banquet 
should  be  provided,  it  \vas  given  not  at  the  house  of 
any  kinsman  of  the  deceased,  as  is  usually  done,  but 
at  mine.  And  properly.  For  while  each  of  them 
was  nearer  to  each  of  his  fallen  kinsmen  than  I,  none 
was  nearer  to  them  all  than  I,  in  tlie  common  grief. 
He  who  had  the  greatest  interest  in  their  success  and 
preservation,  he  indeed  had  the  greatest  share  of 
grief  in  what  all  felt  for  their  undeserved  fate. 

Read  him  the  epitaph  which  the  City  ordered  to  be 
inscribed  at  the  public  expense,  that  you  may  see  in 
it,  ^schines,  what  a  malevolent  foul-mouthed  rogue 
you  are.     Read  it,  I  say. 

EPITAPH. 
"  Here  lie  who  fought  their  country's  rights  t'  uphold, 
And  strove  to  quell  the  foe's  proud  insolence. 


[287—292.]         ON    BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  217 

Valor  and  spirit  nought  availed,  they  fell. 
And  to  the  common  Judge,  grim  Pluto,  passed. 
From  slavery's  hated  yoke  the  Grecian  neck 
To  guard,  they  gave  their  lives.     Their  mother  Earth 
Her  children's  precious  bodies  loving  holds  ; 
Since  the  decree  from  Jove  is  sent,  to  whom 
Alone  belongs  in  all  things  to  succeed. 
Never  to  fail.    Man  cannot  fly  from  Fate." 

I 
Do  you  hear,  ^schines?— in  this  very  epitaph  it  is 
said,  to  the  Gods  alone  belong  success,  and  not  to 
fail.'  Not  to  the  counsellor  is  it  given  to  cause  the 
combatants  to  succeed,  but  to  the  Gods  alone.  ΛVhy, 
then,  wicked  wretch,  do  you  blame  me  for  this  ill- 
success,  and  charge  me  with  disasters  which  may  the 
Gods  let  fall  upon  the  heads  of  you  and  yours ! 

AVhilst   this   man   was   fulsely  charging   me  with 
many  crimes,  Athenians,  I  was  particularly  struck 
with  this; -that  while  he  Avas  passing  in  review  the 
calamities  with  which  the  City  had  from  time  to  time 
been  afflicted,  he  never  shewed  the  disposition  of  a 
loyal  or  friendly  citizen,— he  neither  shed  tears  nor 
in  any  way  expressed  sympathy  with  his  country's 
distresses.     But  when  he  raised  his  voice,  and  loudly 
harangued  with  an  air  of  satisfaction,  and  thought  to 
condemn  me  altogether,  he  bore  testimony  against 
himself,  inasmuch  as  he  did  not  exhibit  in  our  mis- 
fortunes the  same  feelings  as  the  rest  of  us.     It  seems 
to  me  that  when  a  man  is  pretending  to  take  an  in- 
terest in  our  laws  and  frame  of  government,  as  he 


218 


DEMOSTHENES 


has  been  doing,  he  should  at  least  be  able,  if  nothing 
else,  to  grieve  and  rejoice  over  the  same  things  with 
his  fellow-citizens,  and  not  to  range  himself  by  his 
public  conduct  in  the  class  of  their  opponents  as  he 
has  been  doing,  -^scliines  has  just  declared  that  I 
was  the  cause  of  everything,  and  that  through  me  all 
the  State's  recent  disasters  were  broui^ht  about ;  but 
it  was  never  through  nij  advice,  or  by  my  prompting, 
that  you,  my  fellow-citizens,  first  began  to  assist  the 
other  Greeks.  If,  indeed,  you  should  give  me  the 
credit  that  it  was  through  me  you  bad  been  first 
brought  to  oppose  the  power  arrayed  against  the 
Greeks,  it  would  truly  be  u  greater  honor  than  you 
have  ever  yet  conferred  upon  any  one.  But  I  do  not 
say  this,  (I  should  bo  unjust  to  you  if  I  did,)  and  I 
well  know  j'ou  would  never  make  such  a  concession  ; 
and  my  antagonist,  had  he  acted  honestly,  would 
never  from  hostility  to  me  have  thus  tarnished  and 
defaced  one  of  your  most  glorious  achievements. 

But  why  do-  I  call  him  to  account  for  this,  when 
be  has  wickedly  charged  me  with  a  much  more  in- 
fomous  crime  ?  He  has  charged  me, — heavens  and 
earth,  what  will  he  not  say  next, — with  Philippizing! 
By  Hercules  and  all  the  Gods,  if  we  consider  this 
matter  accurately,  inquiring  fairly  and  without  hatred 
who  the  persons  are  who  in  very  truth  may  be  de- 
scribed as  the  cause  of  these  disasters,  it  will  be 
found  they  are  persona  in  each  Grecian  State,  like 
-iEschines,  and  not  any  who  thought  as  I  did ; — per- 


[292—296.]         OK   BEHALF  OF   CTESIPHON.  219 

sons  who,  when  Philip's  power  was  feeble  and  at  a 
low  ebb,  and  whilst  we  were  counselling  and  ad- 
vising, and  preparing  the  best  measures,  abandoned 
from  a  sordid  greed  for  money  what  was  best  for  the 
public  good,  and   deceived  and  corrupted  their  re- 
spective countryn.en  until  they  had  enslaved  them.- 
Such  men  were  Daocbus,  Kineas,  Thrasylaus,  with 
the  Thessalians ;  Kercidas,  Hieronymus,  Eucampidas, 
with  the  Arcadians;   Myrtis,  Teledamus,  Mnaseas, 
with  the  Argives;  Euxitheus,  Cleotimus,  Anstiech- 
mus  with  the  Eleans ;  Neon  and  Thrasylochus,  sons 
of   the   accursed   Philiades,   with    the    Messenians; 
Aristratus,  Epicbares,  with  the  Sykionians ;  Dinar- 
chus,  Demaratus,  with  the  Corinthians ;  Ptoeodorus, 
Helixus,  Perilaus,  with  the   Megarians ;   Timolaus, 
Theociton,  Auemcctas,  with  the  Thebans;  Hippar- 
chu8,''ciitarchus,  Sosistratus,  with  the  Eubceans  :- 
the  dav  would  ftvil  me  to  enumerate  even  the  names 
of   these   traitors.      Those,   Athenians,   those   were 
men,  all  like-minded  in  their  own  country  with  these 
wretches  in  ours,  vile  flatterers,  accursed  parasites 
who  have   maimed   and   mutilated   their  respective 
States,  pledging  away  their  liberties  first  to  Philip, 
afterwards  to  Alexander;  who  place  their  happiness 
in  their  bellies,  and  the  gratification  of  the  lowest 
sensuality,  and  who  have  brought  to  ruin  that  free- 
dom and  that  spirit  which  refused  to  own  a  master, 
and  which  to  the  Greeks  of  old  were  the  boundaries 
and  canons  of  everything  that  was  good. 


220 


DEMOSTHENES 


Of  this   base   and   infamous   arrangement,   or   to 
speak  in  earnest,  Athenians,  of  this  betrayal  of  the 
liberties  of  Greece,  Athens  through  my  counsels  is 
guiltless  in  the  eyes  of  men,  and  I  in  yours.     If  you 
ask  then  again,  ^schines,  for  what  services  I  deem 
myself  worthy  of  honor  from  my  country,  I  answer 
that  Λvhen  all  the  public  men  of  Greece  were  being 
corrupted,  beginning  with  yourself,  first  by  Philip, 
afterwards  by  Alexander,  neither  opportunity,  nor 
fair   words,    nor   mighty  promises,    nor   hopes,   nor 
fears,  nor  anything,  inclined  or  moved  me  to  yield  a 
jot  of  what  I  thought  just  and  useful  to  my  country. 
AVhat  I  advised  the  State  to  do,  I  did  not,  like  you 
and  your  fellows,  advise,  throwing  self-interest,  as  in 
a  balance,  into  the  scales  to  depress  them;  but  I  did 
everything  fairly,  honestly,  and  with  a  heart  that  was 
incorruptible.      And  controlling  larger   affairs  than 
any  man  of  my  time,  I  managed  all   with  purity, 
uprightness,  and  discretion.— Therefore  do  I  claim 
to  be  honored.  • 

As  to  the  walls  which  you  sneer  at,  and  the  in- 
trenchments,  I  consider  them  also  deserving  of  praise 
and  gratitude ;— why  are  they  not?— I  place  them, 
however,  nowhere  near  my  acts  of  administration.  I 
did  not  merely  surround  the  City  with  walls  of  stone 
and  bricks,— I  do  not  take  credit  to  myself  chiefly  on 
this  account.  If  you  will  look  fairly  at  the  fortifica- 
tions  which  I  erected,  you  will  find  them  in  the  arms, 
and  cities,  and  strong  places,  and  harbors,  and  ships. 


[296—303.]  ON   BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON.  221 

and  horses,  and  men,  which  I  secured  to  Athens. 
These  were  the  bulwarks  with  which  I  protected 
Attica,  doing  everything  which  human  counsel  could 
perform :  in  this  way  I  walled  the  whole  country 
round  about,  not  merely  the  circuit  of  the  Piricus,  or 
of  the  citadel.  By  Philip's  calculations  and  prepara- 
tions never  was  I  defeated,— far  from  it ;— the  gen- 
erals and  forces  of  the  allies  were  vanquished  by 
Fate.  Do  you  ask  for  the  proofs  ?  They  are  plain 
and  clear  as  the  day.— Look  at  them. 

PROOFS. 
What  should  the  well-affected  statesman  have  done 
who  was  providing  with  the  utmost  care  and  zeal  and 
solicitude  for  the  interests  of  Athens  ?    Should  it  not 
have  been  to  defend  Attica  on  the  sea-side  by  Eubcea, 
in  the  middle  by  Boeotia,  and  on  the  side  of  Pelopon- 
nesus by  the  contiguous  States  ?-To  provide  for  the 
transport  of  corn  until  passing  along  a  friendly  coast 
it  should  reach  Pirseus  itself  ?-To  preserve  the  places 
which  belonged  to  us  by  sending  advice  and  assistance 
for  their  succor,— Proconnesus,  Chersonnesus,  and 
Tenedos;— and   draw   into   friendship   and   alliance 
Byzantium,  Abydos,  and  Eubcea  ?-To  weaken  and 
cut  off  the  supplies  of  the  enemy,  and  to  procure 
what   the  City  most  stood  in  need  of?— All   these 
things  were  done  by  my  measures  and  through  my 
decrees;  and  all,  Athenians,  if  not  looked  at  in  an 
envious  spirit,  will  be  found  to  have  been  well  done. 


t 


222 


DEMOSTHENES 


— with  the  utmost  rectitude, — the  favorable  oppor- 
tunity never  lost,  nor  omitted,  nor  cast  away;  and  so 
far  as  lay  within  the  power  and  faculties  of  a  single 
man,  nothing  left  undone.  But  if  either  the  enmity 
of  some  deity,  or  the  power  of  fortune,  or  the  want 
of  skill  in  our  generals,  or  the  treachery  of  those 
Λνΐιο  betrayed  your  cities,  or  all  these  things  to- 
gether, made  havoc  with  your  affairs  until  tliey  were 
entirely  ruined,  why  is  Demosthenes  in  fault  ? 

Had  there  been  in  each  Grecian  city  a  man  such 
as  I  was  towards  you ;  or  had  there  been  even  but  a 
single  man  in  Thessal}-  and  another  in  Arcadia  like- 
minded  as  myself,  no  one  either  outside  the  Gates  of 
Greece,  or  within  them,  ΛνοηΚΙ  have  suffered  the 
present  distresses;  but  all  the  Greeks  would  have 
been  independent  and  self-governing,  and  dwelt  in 
their  respective  countries  in  happiness,  security,  and 
freedom  from  alarm,  thanking  you  and  the  other 
Athenians,  through  me,  for  these  beneiits.  And 
that  you  may  see  how  much  these  advantages  out- 
weigh my  words,  in  a  desire  to  avoid  envy  I  ask  you 
to  read  this  list  of  aids  to  our  country  which  were 
obtained  by  my  decrees. 


ENUMERATION  OF  AIDS. 

\J  Such  things,  ^schines,  it  becomes  the  patriotic 
and  good  citizen  to  do,  and  by  succeeding  in  them, 
heavens  and  earth,  Λve  should  have  been  undoubtedly 
the  greatest  of  people,  and  deservedly ; — even  in  fail- 


[303—309.1  ON    BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON.  223 

ure  our  conduct  lias  been  glorious,  none  can  blame 
the  City,  or  its  policy,  but  Fortune  alone  which  had 
so  ordered ;— but  never  will  he  abstain  from  assisting 
his  country,  nor  sell  himself  to  her  enemies,  nor  serve 
their  interests  against  her.     Nor  upon  him  who  is 
urginsr  and  preparing  measures  in  favor  of  his  country 
and  striving  to  stand  fast  by  them  will  he  look  with 
hatred ;  nor  if  any  one  has  privately  oftended  him, 
will  he  treasure  it  up  and  nurse  it.     Nor  will  he 
maintain  an  unjust  and  treacherous  retirement,  as 
you  have  often  done :— for  there  is  a  proper  retire- 
ment, profitable  to  the  City,  which   many  of  you 
have   tairlv   maintained.      But  such   has   not  been 
^schines's  withdrawal   from   public  life— far  from 
it;    retiring   whenever    he    pleased,— and    that  was 
often   enouiih,- he   watched  the   opportunity  when 
you  were  wearied  with  listening  to  the  same  adviser, 
or  when  some  stroke  of  ill-fortune  had  befallen  you, 
or  something  adverse  had  occurred,— so  often  the 
case  in  human  aftairs,— then  seizing  the  occasion  he 
started  up  from  his  seclusion,  and  shewed  himself 
like  a  tempest.     And  with  cadenced  tones  he  rolled 
out  words  and  sentences,  stringing  them   together 
without  stopping  for  breath,  although  they  brought 
with  them   no   advantage   or   offer  of  relief  to  the 
State,— but  only  ruin  to  some  of  our  citizens,  and 
disgrace  to  all.     Yet  of  such  care  and  attention,  ^s- 
chines,  if  inspired  by  an  honest  heart  and  a  desire 
to  serve  the  State,  the  fruits  should  be  valuable,  and 


224 


DEMOSTHENES 


[309—315.]  ON    BEHALF   OF   CTESIPHON. 


225 


serviceable,  and  lionorable,  such  as  alliances  with 
other  cities,  the  supply  of  means,  the  opening  of 
commercial  markets,  the  enactment  of  useful  laws, 
the  hindrance  of  our  known  enemies.  Such  in  past 
times  was  Avhat  was  expected,  and  the  past  gave 
many  opportunities  of  proving  this  to  the  honorable 
and  upright  man.  On  those  occasions  you  were 
neither  first,  nor  second,  nor  third,  nor  fourth,  nor 
fifth,  nor  sixth,  nor  in  any  place  at  all;  never,  cer- 
tainly on  any  occasion  by  which  your  country  was 
benefited. 

AVhat  alliances  did  the  City  ever  procure  through 
you  ?  ΛVhat  aid,  what  increase  of  glory  or  esteem  ? 
What  embassy,  what  service  by  which  the  City  was 
placed  in  a  better  position?  AVhat  matter  which 
vou  controlled,  either  at  home  or  with  the  other 
Greeks,  or  with  foreigners,  was  ever  brought  to  a 
successful  conclusion  by  your  agency  ?  AVhat  ships, 
what  military  engines,  what  docks,  what  construc- 
tion of  walls,  what  horsemen,  in  what  of  any  of 
these  things  have  you  ever  been  serviceable  ?  What 
assistance,  from  public  spirit  or  liberality,  Λvas  ever 
rendered  by  you  to  rich  or  poor  ?  None.  If  nothing 
of  this  kind,  when  did  you  ever  shew  kindness  or 
aifection?  ΛVhere,  when?  Most  heartless  of  men, 
while  every  one  Λνΐιο  has  ever  spoken  from  this  place 
has  contributed  to  the  relief  of  his  fellow-citizens, — 
Aristonicus  giving  away  recently  the  very  money 
which  had  been  set  apart  to  restore  him  to  his  civic 


it 
% 

-β» 


privileges, — ^}ou  have  never  given  or  contributed 
aught.  You  were  not  without  means,  how^  could 
you  be  ?  You  inherited  from  Philo,  your  father- 
in-law,  more  than  five  talents,  not  to  speak  of  the 
two  talents  you  got  from  the  heads  of  the  sym- 
mories  for  mutilating  to  their  relief  the  law  con- 
cerning the  trierarchs.  But  that  I  may  not,  passing 
from  one  thing  to  another,  elude  the  present  ques- 
tion, I  leave  these  matters.  It  is  clear  you  were 
not  prevented  from  giving  by  want  of  means;  but 
because  you  took  good  care  never  to  act  in  any 
way  against  those  friends  of  yours  to  whom  you 
w^ere  subservient  in  everything.  In  what,  then,  are 
you  bold  and  zealous,  and  when  are  you  conspic- 
uous? AVhen  it  is  necessary  to  speak  against  your 
fellow-citizens : — then  your  voice  is  loud  and  clear, 
and  your  memory  perfect,  oh,  best  of  actors,  tragic 
Theocrines ! 

You  have  reminded  us,  ^schines,  of  the  mighty 
men  of  old,  and  it  is  well : — but  it  is  not  just,  Athe- 
nians, that  my  opponent  should  take  the  gratitude 
you  now  feel  towards  those  patriots,  and  use  it 
against  me  by  a  contrast  of  the  living  with  the  dead. 
For  who  does  not  know  that  an  overmastering  and 
belittling  envy  is  always  at  work  against  the  living, 
while  the  dead  cease  to  be  hated  even  by  their  ene- 
mies ?  If  such  be  human  nature,  shall  I  be  judged 
and  compared  with  those  who  have  gone  before  me  ? 
By  no  means ;  this  is  neither  fair  nor  just.     Com- 

17 


226 


DEMaSTHENES 


pare  me  with  yourself,  ^schines,  or  with  w^hom  you 
please  of  those  who  think  as  you  do  who  are  now 
living. 

Moreover,  consider  this.  Is  it  better  and  more 
profitable  to  the  State,  on  account  of  the  enormous 
and  immeasurably  great  services  of  our  ancestors,  to 
treat  the  well-meant  eftbrts  of  contemporary  actors 
with  thanklessness  and  derision,  or  to  award  the 
meed  of  praise  to  all  who  strive  to  do  well  in  its 
behalf?  But  can  I  not  say  that  my  advice  and  my 
policy  when  rightly  looked  at  is  of  like  character 
and  essentially  the  same  as  that  of  those  illustrious 
men ;  and  that  yours  is  of  a  piece  with  that  of  their 
calumniators  ?  It  is  clear  that  in  their  time  too  there 
w^ere  those  who  maligned  the  living,  and  Λνΐιο  be- 
smeared the  men  of  the  past  Λvith  praise, — a  base 
act,  and  what  you  are  now^  doing. 

You  assert  then  that  I  am  totally  unlike  those  men. 
But  are  you  like  them,  ^schines,  or  your  brother? 
Or  any  of  your  orators  ?     I  say  not  one. 

Compare  me,  honest  declaimer,  (for  I  shall  call  you 
nothing  else,)  with  the  living,  compare  the  living  with 
his  competitors  as  in  other  cases,— as  with  poets,  with 
musicians,  with  wrestlers.  Philammon,  although  he 
was  not  so  strong  as  Glaucus  the  Caristian  and  other 
athletes  who  had  gone  before  him,  never  returned 
uncrowned  from  the  Olympian  Games;  for  since  he 
excelled  all  with  whom  he  contended,  he  went  forth 
crowned  and  triumphant.     Match  me  then  with  the 


M- 


[315—322.]  ON   BEHALF  OF  CTESIPHON. 


227 


Statesmen  of  to-day,  with  yourself,  with  any  one  you 
please. — I  except  none. 

When  the  Commonwealth  was  able  to  choose  the 
best  course,  and  when  to  strive  for  its  advantage  in 
public  affairs  was  a  matter  of  emulation  with  all,  I 
counselled  most  wisely,  and  by  my  decrees  and  my 
laws  and  my  embassies  everything  was  directed ;  and 
you,  none  of  you,  were  to  be  found  anywhere,  unless 
it  was  necessary  to  do  the  State  a  mischief.  AVhen 
adversity  came,  and  there  w^as  no  longer  a  searching 
out  for  counsellors,  but  for  men  Λvho  were  working 
for  those  behind  them,  who  were  ready  to  prostitute 
themselves  for  pay  against  their  country,  and  to  flatter 
the  stranger,  then  you  and  your  fellows  came  forth 
radiant,  and  great,  and  splendid, — and  I,  I  admit  it, 
was  very  low,  but  still  your  friend, — while  these  men 

w^ere  not. 

Two  qualities,  Athenians,  an  upright  statesman 
should  possess, — and  I  thus  speak  as  I  am  speaking 
of  myself  to  avoid  being  invidious, — when  in  power, 
he  should  advocate  a  policy  both  honorable  and  lofty; 
and  at  all  times,  and  in  all  contingencies,  he  should 
be  loyal  to  his  country.  This  last  quality  is  native  to 
the  heart, — power  and  strength  depend  upon  other 
things, — and  this  last  you  have  always  found  abiding 
in  me.  Although  my  person  was  demanded  by  the 
stranger,  although  cited  before  the  Amphictyonic 
Council,  although  harassed  by  many  prosecutions, 
although  hounded  by  these  miscreants  who  pursued 


228 


DEMOSTHENES. 


me  like  wild  beasts,  never  have  I  faltered  in  my  alle- 
o-iance  to  you.    From  the  beginning  I  chose  uncon- 
ditionally the  straight  and  upright  course  in  politics, 
-to  uphold  the  honor,  the  power,  the  glory  of  my 
country,  to  increase  them  if  I  could,  to  live  and  have 
my  being  in  them.     Wlien  the  stranger  was  success- 
ful, their  did  not  I  stalk  about  our  public  places  with 
beaming  face,  rejoicing,  stretching  out  the  right  hand 
to  those  who  I  hoped  would  report  it  over  yokder. 
Neither  did  I  with  a  shudder  hear  of  any  success  to 
the  City,  walking  with  downcast  eyes  and  sorrowful 
face,  like  these  accursed  men  who  speak  ill  of  and 
belittle  Athens,  (as  if,  in  so  doing,  they  did  not  speak 
ill  of  and  belittle  themselves,)  who  look  outside  of 
their  country,  exulting  in  the  success  of  the  stranger, 
and  the  misfortunes  of  Greece,  and  asserting  that  we 
should  take  care  he  shall  always  be  successful. 

Let  not,  0  ye  Gods,  let  none  of  these  things  be 
approved  by  you  !  llather  inspire  these  men  with  a 
better  mind  and  counsels  !  But  if  they  be  incorrigi- 
ble, destroy  and  utterly  confound  them,  whether  they 
be  on  sea'  or  land  ;-aiid  to  us  grant  the  shortest 
period  to  the  woes  which  have  been  fastened  upon 
us,  and  provide  for  us  an  enduring  salvation  I 


7/ 


m 


228 


DEMaSTHENES. 


me  like  wild  beasts,  never  have  I  faltered  in  my  alle- 
giance to  you.  From  the  beginning  I  chose  uncon- 
ditionally the  straight  and  upright  course  in  politics, 
—to  uphold  the  honor,  the  power,  the  glory  of  my 
country,  to  increase  them  if  I  could,  to  live  and  have 
my  being  in  them.  ^VHien  the  stranger  was  success- 
ful, then  did  not  I  stalk  about  our  public  places  with 
beaming  face,  rejoicing,  stretching  out  the  right  hand 
to  those  who  I  hoped  ΛνοηΚΙ  report  it  over  yonder. 
JSTeither  did  I  with  a  shudder  hear  of  any  success  to 
the  City,  walking  with  downcast  eyes  and  sorrowful 
face,  like  these  accursed  men  who  speak  ill  of  and 
belittle  Athens,  (as  if,  in  so  doing,  they  did  not  speak 
ill  of  and  belittle  themselves,)  who  look  outside  of 
their  country,  exulting  in  the  success  of  the  stranger, 
and  the  misfortunes  of  Greece,  and  asserting  that  we 
should  take  care  he  shall  always  be  successful. 

Let  not,  0  ye  Gods,  let  none  of  these  things  be 
approved  by  you  !  llather  inspire  these  men  with  a 
better  mind  and  counsels  !  But  if  they  be  incorrigi- 
ble, destroy  and  utterly  confound  them,  whether  they 
be  on  sea  or  land; — and  to  us  grant  the  shortest 
period  to  the  woes  which  have  been  fastened  upon 
us,  and  provide  for  us  an  enduring  salvation  I 


7^ 


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